Anila's Story
by KatAang32
Summary: **Contains Adult Content Chapters** She was ready to travel the world the moment she turned 16. Little did she know, life never goes as expected, and that of a young Airbending Master just starting out on heown is no exception. Will the winds of change bring her happiness and fulfillment? Or will she only be led to sorrow and regret? Prequel to Together Again. *Over 7,600 Views*
1. Anila's Story Prologue

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

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**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

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**Anila's Story**

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**PROLOGUE**

(12 BG)

The sky in the Fire Nation became dark, a volcano was spewing molten Earth and poisons gasses in the Fire Nation covering the moon with ash. People from the volcano's Island were running away in fear for their lives, while they saw their home getting erased from Earth's face.

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In the meantime, a beautiful young woman with long black hair, bright and expressive gray eyes, and blue arrows tattooed on her forehead and body, cried out in pain. Her name was Anila and she was still quite young, only about seventeen.

"Not much longer now... It will be time to push soon." A nun told Anila.

The young woman was at the Western Air Temple to bring forth a new Air Nomad baby. The temple was the sacred place where all female Air Nomads went when it was getting close to the time they were going to give birth. Some women arrived a month before going into labour, some came only days even hours before they give birth. When Anila had arrived, the nuns told her she had a few weeks before the baby was going to born, but Anila went into labour two whole weeks before her given due date. Nobody knew exactly what had caused it.

After giving birth the women stayed at the temple for a year or two after their child was born. They brought their babies with them when they attended the Yangchan Festival, then return to the temple again. Then they turned their child over to the monks nuns to raise the children, they were separated and sent to the several Air Temples across the world. Boys to the North and South, girls to the East and West temples. The children never again would see their parents again, they'd be raised by tutor monks and nuns from that moment until they were old enough to be on their own, the same as it always has been and it always will be.

Anila knew all this because she was raised to be a perfect Air Nomad or even a nun in a future if she chose, a little voice in the back of her head kept telling her how wrong it was to separate a child from its mother, how wrong it was for a mother to keep away from her child, how wrong it was for a child to grow up, away from a family. She had seen with the pass of years, the dramatic scenes of desperate crying in the temple when women turned their daughters to the nuns.

Anila knew these ancient traditions were part of her culture, but she had kept wondering if a tradition, even if it was ancient, that provoked such sadness between people was worth being supported.

Meanwhile, another pain wave hit her body with the start of a contraction, producing a choked cry from a very frightened Anila.

* * *

In the Fire Nation, one old woman stood amongst all the people. Her worried gaze never leaving the volcano peak, because deep within her, she knew she would never again see the love of her life, the man she had shared a lifetime with…_ 'Oh Roku… why did you have to stay and try to fix this… please dear be safe for me and your children… please don't die on me.'_

That was her last though when she saw a red dragon, Roku's dragon Fang, fly to the volcano's pit before a sudden chain of great explosions shook the depths of the earth and a lava flow covered all the island surface, followed by the deafening silence of death…

The woman fell to her knees crying her eyes out while her family embraced her with love and affection.

* * *

Another agonizing labour's hour had passed in the Western Air temple when a last piercing cry of pain from the young woman's lips tore the silence of the night and, a few minutes after, it was responded by the sound of a baby's wailing filling the birth room….

"It's a boy", announced the midwife nun while she handed the new mom a little male baby. Anila cuddled her newly born son between her arms detailing all his features with a gaze full of love and adoration.

"Do you have a name for him yet?" asked the midwife cutting the umbilical cord and massaging the lower abdomen to wait for placental expulsion.

"Yes", She answered softly, Anila still mesmerized by the baby in her arms who started to nurse his mother's breast milk.

"His name is Aang... peaceful soaring... Soar my tiny one, soar."

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(A/N There will be a more detailed version of this part down the road)

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	2. Chapter 1: Anila

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

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**CHAPTER ONE**

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(15 BG)

Anila had earned her tattoos at the age of 14 years old. That was quite young, airbending came easy to her. She had started teaching the younger girls at the Eastern Air Temple, the place she called home. The nuns said she couldn't leave until she was 16 years old, so Anila took up a place as an extra practice tutor for the girls that had problems keeping up with the other girls their age. Her pupils really enjoyed the time they spent learning what came so easy to others. Anila too loved the girls she worked with.

"Choden, you are doing great, you just need to move more fluidly." Anila told one of her pupil as she demonstrated the form.

"Like this?" Choden said as she turned herself more gracefully.

"Yes! Now you're getting it, wonderful job." Anila told the girl.

"You are always so kind to us. Sister Dolkar yells at us if we don't get it right." Choden said.

"Have I ever yelled at you girls?" Anila asked the 4 girls she was helping with.

"Not once!" They answered in unison.

"I really like you girls." Anila said. _"Love"_ was a forbidden word, even if they felt that they could never say it.

_Sister Dolkar's screechy voice rang in her head. "Love is an Earthly Attachment! We must rid ourselves of all Earthly Attachments to reach pure enlightenment! … Anila recite it aloud, one-hundred times!"_

Anila was then 7 years old and she had told one of her friends, that she loved the way her hair looked when she pulled it half up.

Anila was always a happy and mischievous girl and she got in trouble a lot. She would tell the squeamish bratty girls they had spiders on them, then she would sit back and laugh as they screamed and ran around trying to get it off of them. This was usually a result of the brats picking on Anila or someone she loved.

Anila loved to spend her free time out in the grassy fields, practicing her acrobatics, she would jump and flip over and over again, she loved flipping around. Another of her favorite things to do was to climb as high as she could and let herself free fall, it was such a rush, it felt so good. She would open her glider at the last possible moment and rocket herself right back into the sky again.

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"Anila," Her guardian, Sister Opame, called to her, "Are you about ready to head out to the Yangchen festival?"

This was the one time of the year when they got to meet and talk to the boys their age. She was just barely 14 years old and already had her Master's Tattoos, she had fuzzy black hair that was just starting to grow back and her tattoos were still fresh. A few years ago she didn't really care about boys, but now she was older, and she couldn't wait to show off her tattoos to the boys her age.

"Yes, Sister Opame, I am finished packing my things for the trip, I'll be right out." Anila called from her room.

Anila came out of her room with a bag full of stuff for the trip.

"Why is your bag so full?" Sister Opame asked her.

"Oh, well, ummm... I need clothes and I wanted to bring some of my books top read if I get bored and I can't go anywhere without my good luck charm." Anila said as she was trying to tell her guardian everything she HAD to bring with her.

"Anila, Anila, Anila..." Sister Opame shook her head, "I've told you over and over We don't need more that 2 outfits, wear one then we change and clean the first and then when we change to the first again we wash the second and it works in that loop. What do you need books for? If we get bored what do we do?... We meditate... and Lucky charms are nothing more than useless trinkets."

"Okay Sister Opame." Anila sulked as she went back into her room and unpacked everything but a second set of Student's robes and her staph.

"Are you ready now? Our group will be leaving soon." Sister Opame told her.

"Yes, yes." Came from in the room. "I don't see why I can't take Chesa and follow behind the group." Anila has had Chesa for eight years now. They get their sky bison when they both are still quite young, then go through years of training, creating a lifelong bond between nomad and bison.

"You know that you are too young to travel on your own." Sister Opame told the girl.

"I'll stay right behind everyone. I promise... Please?" She pleaded.

"You know as well as I that Sister Dolkar will not allow it. Now that's final." The both went down to where everyone was loading up.

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As the group of Sky Bison flew through the air, Anila got very bored. She tried to meditate but she was getting very bored with that too and she started wiggling uncomfortably.

"Anila, is something wrong?" Sister Dolkar asked in her screechy voice.

"No, Sister Dolkar, I... uuhhh... I had an itch." Anila told her.

"Don't stammer. It's unbecoming of a Female Master, it makes you look weak. You earned your tattoos, now you must act like a Master. Hold your head high, sit up straight. You're not a child anymore." Sister Dolkar barked. "Meditate harder and it will go away."

"Yes sister Dolkar" answered Anila. Then under her breath Anila said "You sure make me feel like one."

"What was that, Anila? ? ? ? ?" barked Dolkar again.

"I said You're right." Anila covered.

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Their large group arrived at the Statue a full day before the festival. Anila helped to set up their camp. When they were all done, they were allowed to go play. Anila always loved the Yangchen festival; many of her favorite memories were of this place. The Yangchen Festival was the most sacred of all Air Nomad Holidays. Air Nomads young and old, male and female, came from all over the world to celebrate. Anila loved meeting new people.

Anila was running and jumping and doing acrobatic flips and jumps, she was having so much fun, her pupils were playing with her too. Anila was running over the big grassy hill when she tripped over something. She realized that the 'something' was actually a 'someone'.

"Oh my Spirits, I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry. I hope I didn't hurt you." She said.

"No, no, it is totally my fault I shouldn't have been laying in the tall soft grasses." It was a man in his late twenties. He got up then reached down to help her up. She blushed as she took his hand.

"I'm so sorry, sir, please forgive me." Anila said. She was looking down at her boots.

"It was my fault." He said again. He lifted her chin to look at her in the face. "What's your name, Pretty one?"

"A... Anila, sir." She blushed so brightly that her cheeks felt hot.

"I see you have just recently earned your tattoos, how old are you? Fifteen? Sixteen?"

"I... I'm fourteen sir." Her heart was beating wildly.

"Wow, you must be very powerful, pretty one." He cocked his head to the side a little when he smiled. He was very tall and really handsome. "Please, my name is Amitaruci. Call me by my name, pretty one."

"Okay, Sir, Amitaruci." She could hardly breathe.

"ANILA! ANILA! WHERE ARE YOU?" Sister Opame was calling her.

"I need to go, my guardian is calling me... Goodbye Si.. Amitaruci." Anila took off running back over the field. She was grateful for Opame calling her, any longer with him and she would probably have had a heart attack. _'Oh Spirits, he was dreamy'_ she thought.

"I'm sorry Sister Opame, I was running over the hill and I tripped on something... It took a few minutes to collect myself, I... I knocked the wind out of myself when I fell."

"Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself? Let me look at you." Sister Opame looked over the breathless girl, checking to make sure she was okay.

"Nothing seems to be broken, you look fine." Sister Opame said, satisfied that there wasn't any injuries to the young Master.

"I told you Sister Opame, I just had the wind knocked out of me." Anila said again.

"Okay then. Dinner will be served shortly, you need to come back to our camp site. After dinner, Sister Dolkar wants to teach you all something. Then after the lesson, it lights out meditating for an hour and then we will all go to sleep. You can play again tomorrow after we have our breakfast and another wonderful lesson from Sister Dolkar. "

"I hate Sister Meany's lessons." Anila wined as they walked back to their group.

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	3. Chapter 2: Yangchan Festival 15 BG

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

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**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

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**Chapter Two**

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(15 BG)

Anila was having a sweet dream about the devilishly handsome man she had met the day before when the voice of "Sister Meany", as Anila called her, came screeching into Anila's tent. "Anila, you lazy girl! Get out here and wash up for morning meditation, followed by a breakfast of plain bread and tofu. NOW GIRL! You're holding everything up."

"Yes Sister Dolkar, I'll be right out." Anila sat up, she rubbed the fuzz on the top of her head and crawled out of her tent before _'Sister Meany'_ yelled at her again. She quickly splashed water on her face and hands, she blew herself dry, ran to her group and sat down lotus style like all the other girls. While meditation was one of the Air Nomads culture's pillar, it was dreadfully boring to Anila. She cracked one of her eyes and watched as more and more Nomads showed up for the festival. Her heart picked up speed when she saw the dreamy man she had accidentally tripped over yesterday. She concentrated on her breathing trying to keep herself from blushing.

"Okay girls," _'Sister Meany'_ said, "It's time to eat our traditional Yangchen breakfast." It wasn't actually part of the festival to eat the breakfast that Sister Dolkar had for them to eat. It was lunch that was part of the tradition, not breakfast.

Anila got her breakfast and sat down next to Sister Opame and ate. "Why does _'Sister Meany'_ make us have such a boring breakfast?" Anila asked her guardian. Anila loved to eat sweet fruits, sweet rice, sweet rolls and most of all fruit cakes.

"I really don't know, she says it humbles us for the day to come... Don't call her 'Sister Meany'... She may hear you." Sister Opame said. "We are suppose to split in two groups in a bit. I'll take you with my group. We are going to go sit and have a lesson with one of my dear friends, Monk Gyatso and half the boys that came with his group."

"I remember him!" Anila said, "He is always so fun. I like flying the kites with them." The news made her happy than she didn't have to listen to _'Sister Meany'_ today and she laughed.

Out of nowhere, Anila heard a deep voice that made her heart jump. "Hello, I'm glad to see you are ok after that fall you had taken yesterday." Amitaruci said.

"Anila", Sister Opame asked her, "Who is this?"

"Ummm... T... This is Amitaruci. He... he helped me up when I fell yesterday." Anila said.

"She had quite a fall, I just wanted to make sure she was ok." He smiled at Anila, his head cocked slightly to the side.

She was blushing so much her cheeks felt hot again, she shoved a big piece of dry bread into her mouth. She tried to swallow it, but it got stuck in her throat and she started to cough. Amitaruci knelt down and handed her his water pouch. "Here, I think you may need some of this."

"Take it Anila, you need some water before you choke to death." Sister Opame told her.

Anila took his water and drank almost all of it. "Thank you... ummm... I'm sorry, I think I almost drank all of it."

"It's no problem; I'll just walk down and refill it... Would you like to go with me?" He asked her.

"Our lesson will be starting soon; I don't think I can go with you." Anila said.

"Anila is correct." Sister Opame said, "Our lesson is starting soon. Thank you for your kindness, Sir."

"It's no problem at all, I just wanted to make sure she was ok, it was a pretty bad fall." Amitaruci said. "Maybe I'll see you later today, Anila, Sister Opame, it was nice talking to you. I must go refill my water." He bowed to them before he walked down to a fresh water pool to refill his water.

"Well, he was nice." Sister Opame said as they watched him walk away.

"Oh, he is so handsome." Anila let out a breath of air making the grass around them ripple outward.

"Okay Anila, Monk Gyatso is waiting for us to join his group." Sister Opame told her ward.

"I love flying the kites!" Anila exclaimed skipping over to the other Airbenders her age. Anila was the only one with an arrow on her forehead. Some of the boys in the group were pointing at her and whispering.

"Hello Anila, It is wonderful to see you have earned your Master's Tattoos." The kind, yet playful monk said to her.

"Thank you, Monk Gyatso. I can't wait until I am sixteen! I'm going to take Chesa and travel the world." Anila told him.

"Okay everyone, it is time to honor Lady Tienhai by bowing to her statue." Sister Opame said aloud to the group she and Monk Gyatso were in charge of.

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The sacred celebrations started by bowing four times to the statue of Lady Tienhai. Then everyone broke into smaller groups where they were supposed to be taught what the Yangchen Festival was about and why they celebrated it. Monk Gyatso and Sister Opame leaded their group down to a group of Sky Bison. This is when they went to a nearby island and flew kites. Monk Gyatso had always said that they could learn about the Yangchan festival when they were older. Children needed to be children and have fun.

On the walk down to the group of Sky Bison, Anila was doing cartwheels and laughing. Her eye was caught by her new little infatuation, the very tall handsome man with the dreamy smile. He had seen her too, most likely because of her flipping and laughing, because his eyes met hers then smiled and winked to her. Anila had to stop cartwheeling because she felt dizzy just from his smile. Her face felt hot again and her heart beat wildly.

The group of boy and girls flew the kites around for nearly two hours when they heard the traditional Air Nomad music, signifying the start of the march down the cliff to the beautiful meadow where they ate a lunch that consisted primarily of tofu and an assortment of vegetables. Anila thought it was a boring and flavorless meal, but it was tradition.

The two chaperones called their group of children together so that they could return to the festival and march down under guidance of music to the sacred meadow to enjoy the ceremonial meal.

* * *

The boys and girls were all sitting together eating, a couple of Anila's pupils were sitting with her. Choden nudged Anila with her elbow. "Ouch, What Choden?"

Choden leaned over and whispered into Anila's ear, "That man over there keeps looking at you."

Anila turned to see Amitaruci glancing her way. She started blushing again. _'I am so glad we are leaving the day after tomorrow, he makes me feel so funny'_ Anila thought. _'Though he is nice.'_

Anila whispered into Choden's ear "He's so dreamy."

Anila could hardly put more than a few words together when he was looking at her. She turned back to her lunch trying to keep herself as calm as possible, but her heart had a mind of its own and decided to race.

_'Spirits please help me.'_ Anila thought again, she picked up her cup to take a drink and found it empty.

"Sister Opame, may I have more water please" asked Anila in a small whisper. Just seeing Amitaruci made her nervous, causing her mouth and throat to go dry. She drank two whole cupfuls before she felt normal again.

"Sister Opame, I'm done eating now. May I please go play in the field?" Anila asked. "I want to practice flipping and balancing... It's more training than playing."

"I guess Anila. You are such a carefree girl. Don't be clumsy and trip again." Her guardian told her.

"I won't!" Anila yelled as she ran into the field. She was joined by many other kids, they started showing off what they could do, but Anila showed up all of them by performing one of the highest level forms that they had to know in order to get their Master's Tattoos. She ran, grabbed her staff and showed off doing loop-d-loops and barrow rolls. She jumped and free-fell from the top of the cliff opening her glider just seconds before impact and rocketed into the sky, landing safely back on the cliff with a whoosh of air.

A large group of Airbenders had joined the children, watching this fearless young Master. When she landed, many people applauded her skills and talent. Anila was feeling awesome until she scanned the onlookers and saw HIM. Her heart started racing again so, she took a deep breath and walked all the way to her tent. She didn't understand why she felt like this, but all she wanted to do was hide for a while.

She was walking as quickly as she could, of course all airbenders could run faster than the wind, well all Master Airbenders could... but apparently she wasn't quick enough.

"That was quite a display of your skills and power, Pretty One." Amitaruci had come up behind her.

Her eyes immediately dropped down to look at the grass beneath her feet. "T...thank you, Sir." She coughed a few times from her throat going dry.

"Here take this," he handed her his water pouch again.

Anila drank it all again. "Oh, my... I'm so sorry I drank it all again."

"Don't be sorry, I have another here. Let me refill that one and you can have this one." He pulled out a second water pouch from within his Traditional male airbender's robes and handed it to her.

"But, I don't need any more water right now." She looked at the bottle.

"Take it. I would like you to keep it Pretty One." Amitaruci told her as he traded the empty water pouch in her hands with the full one in his hand. "It was nice to meet you, Anila... I really do hope to see you next year. I wanted to tell you goodbye. I'm leaving in just about an hour... May we come across one another again in our travels, Pretty one"

He finished with his devilishly handsome smile, leaving her heart pounding so hard that she could hear it in her ears.

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Anila spent the rest of the day in a haze, her hands clutching tightly to the water pouch he had given her. A few girls had crowded around her, asking all kind of questions about the handsome man and his strange gift for her. Anila barely registered much of it, just sat down in front of her tent and stared at the water pouch. _'He wanted me to have this'_, she thought as her heart fluttered.

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	4. Chapter 3: 16th Birthday

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

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**Chapter Three**

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(14 BG)

Anila was unable to attend the Yangchen Festival the following year. She had gotten knocked out by an Air Ball to the head and when she fell she broke her arm and had a serious head injury. Sister Opame stayed at the Eastern Air Temple with her, the unfortunate Air Ball accident only happened but a few days ago. "It's not fair, I want to go and I want to see HIM again. He said he wanted to see me at this festival." Anila carried the water pouch with her at all times she cherished it.

"You are still hurt pretty bad Anila. You can't even stand without help, and how are you supposed to bow to the statue? You must stay here, in bed. Next year will come soon enough Anila." Sister Opame told the girl.

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(13 BG)

When Anila reached her 16th birthday, she was ready to leave the Air Temple, the only home she had known until then. Anila had grown from a silly girl into a beautiful young woman, her body have became curvier, and her hair had grown all the way down to the middle of her back. She had waited over two years, from when she received her tattoos, to be free to roam the skies with her Sky Bison Chesa, her best friend. In that day, as soon as she woke up she started to pack her meager possessions, a few keepsakes one of which was a certain water pouch, and some treasured books that had been given to her.

Sister Opame stopped Anila, "Won't you even stay for a birthday celebration? The nuns and the other girls want to have a party for you. Your pupils are going to miss you; they may be hurt that you didn't say good-bye to everyone... And I need to talk to you about something, something I really should have explained to you a while ago."

Anila agreed with Sister Opame to stay for just one more night but that was it. She was sixteen and she was allowed to leave as soon as she turned sixteen. Everyone, even Sister Dolkar had helped throw a feast for Anila. There were traditional fruit cakes and lots of food. Anila had been given two sets of Women's Master Airbender's robes by Sister Dolkar. Sister Opame gave Anila a basket that she was to open on her very first night on her own. The girls all wrote letters for her to read when she felt lonely.

At the end of the party, Sister Opame meet alone with Anila.

"Anila, I know you have reached the age of maturity and I know I should have talked to you about this earlier, it just seemed like I had more time… I still haven't told you about bringing new Airbenders into this world" Anila's Guardian told her.

"Let's go have some tea in your room; I really have to talk to you about this... It's important to the survival of Air Nomads everywhere." Sister Opame told the sixteen year old girl.

When they arrived at Anila's room, Sister Opame sat with this happy girl teaching her about 'The Birds and the Bees.'

"… And after you know you are pregnant, you need to keep track of time because you need to be at the Western Air Temple when it is time for the baby to be born. Once there, the nuns will take care of you and explain everything you need to know from there."

After hearing sister Opame's speech, Anila's face turned as red as a beetroot and she sat in shock for a few minutes. She wasn't quite sure what she was hearing.

"So when I find a male Air Nomad AND if I want to, I do this to try to have babies for the sake of the Air Nomads?" Asked Anila, turning even redder than before.

"Yes, my girl... It's just how it's done." Sister Opame told her charge and she warned Anila that she was a VERY beautiful young woman and that many men might want to 'produce new Air Nomads' with her, that she had every right to tell them "No" if she didn't want to.

The next morning before sunrise and with the nuns and girls still sleeping, when Anila had everything packed and loaded on Chesa, Sister Opame came down to say goodbye to the girl she has raised for the last fourteen years.

"I'm going to miss you, Sister Opame, I love you." Anila said hugging the curt, older woman.

"Have I not taught you well...? Love is an earthly attachment; you must rid yourself of all earthly attachments, including love, silly girl." Sister Opame told her, hiding the sadness in her face, she herself had grown to love this silly clumsy girl.

"I'm sorry Sister Opame, I'll work on that." Anila said.

Then, donned in her new Traditional Female Master Airbender robes, she took a seat on Chase's head. "Goodbye Sister Opame, please tell everyone goodbye for me." Anila called out as she waved to her. "Yip yip."

Chesa soared through the sky and Anila laughed. She was finally free to go anywhere she wanted to. Anila flew west ward heading to Chameleon bay, where a beautiful inlet she always wanted to go to was. She had a map with all the places she wanted to visit, to see. She had read about so many different places in the vast volumes within the library at the Eastern Air Temple. The Great Divide truly fascinated her, the legends of Ba Sing Se made it sound magnificent. She had read about a cave system near Omashu called The Cave of Two Lovers, its legend was so romantic. She wanted to visit all the Great cities around the world.

* * *

Anila set up camp for the very first time by herself and it was fun, with Chesa eating bushes while Anila enjoyed the special Fruit Cake that Sister Opame gave her in the basket for her first night on her own. Thinking of Sister Opame made Anila feel sad and lonely because even she thought it was great to get away from the temple, and it truly was, she was lonely too. It grew dark and cold and Anila crawled into her small tent to began her nightly meditation.

* * *

The next morning Anila was woken up by Chesa nosing her as she pushed her face into Anila's tent. "Okay, okay Chesa, I'm up now." Anila crawled out of her tent and checked to make sure her robes were straight and clean then combed her hair. She ate a breakfast of fruit cake, "Where should we go first Chesa?"

*RRRRRRRRR*

"I was thinking, since we have three weeks to the Yangchen Festival and it takes us a few days to get there, we could see Ba Sing Se. I heard it's huge." Anila said to her bison.

*RRRRRRRRR*

"So it's settled, to Ba Sing Se it is." The young woman said with a chuckle.

* * *

Anila had a wonderful time traveling; she was even able to squeeze Omashu in before having to head to The Yangchen Festival. While she was in Omashu she heard the news that the King and Queen had a child they named Bumi, there was much celebration and joy.

* * *

Even when Anila arrived at the festival a whole 3 days earlier than she had thought she would, it didn't bother her because this was her favorite place in the world.

She landed Chesa in the area that everyone set up their tents and went for a walk. There were a few other Airbenders already camping for the upcoming festival.

After everything was set up Anila grabbed her glider, and went to fill her precious water pouch. After the pouch was filled she swung it over her shoulder and started her climb up to the very top of the hill from where she wanted to free fall. She jumped from the cliff and enjoyed the feeling of wind in her face, the head rush of falling, the exhilaration of rocketing herself into the sky.

She flew for about an hour before she returned to the pool of fresh water to refill her pouch. As she was filling the pouch, someone came up behind her,.

"Excuse me, I need to fill my pouch also." A man said.

"Okay, I'm sorry sir. Let me move over and give you some room." Anila happily said. When she turned and saw who was next to her, the water pouch slipped out of her hands and fell to the ground next to the pool of fresh water. "Ami... Amitaruci" Anila stuttered a bit.

He had a confused look on his face for a minute because he wasn't sure how this very beautiful young woman knew his name. Then he looked down at the water pouch that she had dropped. "This looks familiar..."

"You... You gave it to me two years ago." Anila said, her throat going dry. She coughed a couple of times and then took the pouch from him, draining it in a matter of seconds.

He looked up into her face for a few seconds... "Pretty one?" he asked. "ANILA!" he said.

"I didn't see you at last year's festival." As he smiled his head tilted slightly to the side.

"I had gotten knocked out by an Air Ball and fell... I was hurt too badly to come to the festival." She told him. She didn't feel quite as nervous to be talking to him, she still felt nervous just not as badly.

"Well, I'm happy to see you this year. Where is the rest of your group?" He asked her.

"I'm not here with them. I turned sixteen a few weeks ago" She told him, proud that she was on her own finally.

His smile grew even larger. "This is wonderful news. How are you doing on your own?"

"Well, it's a bit lonely to be honest. I only have Chesa to talk to." Anila admitted.

"I haven't set my camp up yet, if you want, I could set mine up next to yours so you won't have to feel quite as lonely. What do you think? We could talk anytime you want." He told her.

Anila was blinking dumbly as she was shocked by his words. "Oh... Okay... thank you... Really... Talk to me? ... But I'm just a girl, just barely turned 16 a few weeks ago."

"That's ok. I don't mind helping you adjust to being on your own... I'm very happy to help, Pretty One." Amitaruci said to her smiling. "Well, Pretty One doesn't seem to fit you anymore... Beautiful One is more like it."

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	5. Chapter 4: We Meet Again

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

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**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

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**CHAPTER 4**

* * *

Amitaruci followed closely behind Anila all the way to where she had set up camp. His sky bison, Dorjee, kept a watch on him from above. When they got to Anila's campsite, Dorjee landed next to Chesa. Amitaruci Airbended his camping stuff off his sky bison and started to set up camp. He didn't put up a tent, he just put out a mat to lay on and a fluffy pillow, which he also used to sit on when he was meditating. He sat down on his mat.

"How has being on your own been for you?" He asked Anila.

"Well, like I said, it's a bit lonely. It's great too though; I don't get bossed around by Sister 'Meany'..." Anila's hand went over her mouth; she couldn't believe she had just said that to him. "I mean Sister Dolkar... I'm sorry I shouldn't have called her that."

He was laughing hard at what she had said. "Is she the older one that always frowns? Has a bit of a screechy voice?"

"Yeah, how do you know her?" Anila asked. His laughter at what she had said made her relax a bit more.

"She has been a nun for a LONG time. I remember having to listen to her dull teachings about the Yangchan Festival and why we celebrate it... I never said it out loud, but I thought of her as 'Sister Meany' too." He started laughing more and was joined by Anila's laughter.

"I'm starting to feel better now. Thank you, Amitaruci." Anila told him

"I'm glad to help." He said with his wide smile and slightly cocked head. He watched as she started to blush like she did two years ago. "Are you hungry? I have some bread and cheese curds, if you want some."

"I couldn't eat your food; I have some of my own." Anila said to him.

"Well, I would be honored to share it with a VERY beautiful young woman." He told her. A grin spread across her face as well as going bright red when he called her VERY beautiful.

"Wow, you are even more beautiful when you smile Anila."

She felt like a fourteen-year-old girl again and started to cough. She grabbed her treasured water pouch and drained it in a matter of seconds.

He was laughing again. "Do we need to go fill your water pouch again?" He asked her.

She looked at him a little surprised, "WE?"

"I would greatly enjoy walking with you Anila." He told her with his charming and irresistible smile.

"Ok, we can walk down to the fresh water pool together." Anila said, she felt like she was free falling again, such a wonderful feeling that she has always loved.

As they went down to the water pool, he walked close to her. When they reached the pool, Anila pulled the pouch out and opened the top. Before she knew it, he had taken the pouch from her and stooped to fill it. "I'll fill it for you; we don't want you to get your pretty new robes all muddy."

"Thank you..." She could barely think, let alone put too many words together with the way he was making her feel right then.

"Ok, let's go back to our camp site and have something to eat." He told her.

While they were eating a hair fell in front of her face, she tried to lightly blow it out of her face but it just fell right back again. He reached out and brushed it behind her ear, his fingers lightly brushing her cheek and the curve of her ear. "Better?" he asked.

She inhaled sharply as a wave of goose bumps washed over her, her hair felt like it was standing on end. "Better." She said blushing again, then stared down at the food in her hands. Her heart was pounding even harder than before, her breathing caught a bit._ 'Why do I feel like this from him just brushing a hair out of my face? Why did he brush my cheek?'_ She took a few deep breaths to steady herself again.

"Are you ok?" He asked her. She nodded in response. "Is something wrong?" he asked. She shook her head. "Why are you staring at your hands?" He asked. She shrugged. "Am I... Am I making you nervous?"

"Yes." Anila squeaked. He started to laugh and was rewarded with an angry look from her. "It's not funny Amitaruci! You make it hard for me to think and you make me feel funny! I don't know why I feel this way or why I feel so confused, but you are not helping me when the only thing you do, is to sit back and laugh at me! You laugh at ME! Are you trying to make me feel funny?! Are you trying to make fun of me?! Why do you use words like We and Our?!" Anila was so furious that she stood up and started to stomp away.

The sudden change in the sweet young woman's temper caught Amitaruci totally by surprise.

"Anila!" He called after her. "Anila, wait! Anila! I'm sorry! Please stop!"

Anila was walking hurriedly when all of a sudden she felt his hand around her wrist, trying to stop her from getting away.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you feel bad or funny." Amitaruci said her in a subdued voice.

When she looked up at him, anger burned furiously in her eyes. "Let go of me!" said Anila, while she was trying to yank her arm out of his grasp.

"Please, Anila, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Please!" He said as she yanked her arm harder. He wasn't sure anymore of what to say or what to do to stop the angry young woman from getting away from him, so he did the first thing he could think of and pulled her against him, touching her lips with his own.

When Amitaruci kissed her, Anila froze in shock in his arms, she didn't know what to say or to do.

When he pulled away from her, he said. "I'm sorry Anila. I shouldn't have done that but I didn't know what else to do. I like you a lot and I didn't want you to go. I wasn't trying to make you feel funny, to make fun of you or to make you angry. I like you a lot, I'm so sorry, Beautiful one."

"Do you... do you like me?" Anila asked with incredulity. She had been caught off guard. "But I'm just a girl, just barely old enough to be on my own. You... you've been on your own for a while and there have to be women your age that you like..."

Amitaruci just stared at her for a few moments before he addressed her again. "Did you just call me old?" He laughed.

"No! I didn't mean it like that...ehhhh…What I meant was that... ehhhhh… What I wanted to say was...Forget it!.. Ok. What I want to know is why do you like ME? I'm practically still just a girl!" She yelled at him. Anila was so confused, oh she was head over heels for him, but she just thought of it as a crush... but now she was even more confused because he told her that he liked her, that he liked her a lot.

"I like you because you are powerful as well as beautiful, you are talented and carefree, always happy and laughing... The way all airbenders should be... Well, at least how I think we should be. I'm sorry I made you angry, I truly am. Do you forgive me?" Amitaruci asked her.

"Well, I... I like you a lot too, even though you make me feel funny. You are so handsome and nice and you make me feel like that silly girl I was two years ago when I tripped..." Her face was bright red again.

He softly brushed the back of his hand across her hot cheek. "I'm happy you tripped over me. Now let's go back and finish our lunch... then maybe we could have a little fun with our gliders. I noticed you like to free fall, I do too; I enjoy the feeling you get in your head and stomach."

She could definitely understand the feeling of free falling, that is exactly how she felt right now. He extended out his hand to her, waiting for her take it. She cautiously took his hand and they walked back to where they both had set up camp.

* * *

That evening there was an odd chill in the air. There weren't many Nomads there and they were camping far from each other. As the wind blew Anila shivered and rubbed her extremities.

"Take my outer robe; I don't want you to get too cold, my beautiful one." He told her as he wrapped his outer robe around her, then created a bit of warmth by rubbing her arms and shoulders. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you." She said to him. Out of nowhere rang a loud crack of thunder and within seconds the sky started to pour out on them. "Oh no, rain... Do you have a tent you could set up really quick?" She quickly asked him.

"No, I don't have a tent. Someone robbed me a few weeks ago when I went to wash up." He told her.

"You can sleep in my tent at that end and I'll be at this end." She pointed each side out.

"Ok, let's get my mat and pillow in before they get soaked."

While Anila crawled into her tent and settled herself at one end, Amitaruci tossed his mat, blanket, and pillow and went in, after that he situated his mat on the side opposite to her. "It's getting late and well, I need to do my nightly meditation." She wiggled herself into her lotus position.

"Would you like to use my pillow to sit on? It's quite comfortable." He asked her.

"That... That would be nice, thank you." she replied as he pushed the pillow to her. She accepted it, sat on it in the lotus position and closed her eyes. After an hour passed she was tired, so she quietly pushed the soft pillow next to him; then she laid down on her mat pulling her outer robe tightly around herself and fell asleep.

When Amitaruci opened his eyes Anila was already asleep, curled up in a ball with her outer robe pulled tightly around her and his pillow was next to him. He scooted next to her and gently lifted her sliding his pillow under her head, finally he grabbed his blanket and laid it over her. After that he went back to his own mat, pulled his outer robe, which he had gotten back from her when they came into the tent, around him and then fell asleep.

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Names and Meanings

Dorjee- A thunderbolt

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	6. Chapter 5: Yangchan Festival 13 BG

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

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**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

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When Anila woke up: the rain had stopped and Amitaruci was no longer in her tent. She rolled on to her side, nuzzled down into the pillow and pulled the blanket tighter around her... _'I don't own a pillow or a blanket!'_ She thought to herself. When she had fallen asleep she was curled up with her over robe tight around her. From outside her tent, she heard someone walking around and she could smell the smoke from a cooking fire. Anila quickly rummaged around in her bag for her comb, once she finished combing her hair she crawled out of her tent it was a warm, bright, and sunny morning; the clouds from the previous night had been blown away.

"Good Morning, Anila." Amitaruci said with a smile as he sipped tea. "Would you like some tea?"

"Oh, uuummmmmmm, yes please." Anila said. She blushed as she pushed a strand of fallen hair behind her ear; then she sat down across from him.

"I hope you slept well last night." The handsome airbender said, as he passed Anila a cup of tea he had poured for her.

"You gave me your pillow and blanket, last night. Thank you." She said to him.

"It was cold and wet... I wanted to make sure you were warm and comfortable." He smiled his dreamy smile at her.

"Have you been up long?" Anila asked him.

"Awake long, yeah." He said, " Up long no."

"You were awake, but you had not gotten up?" She was confused.

"More tea?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes please... Why were you awake but not up?" She asked, not letting the subject slip away.

"Anila, you have grown to become a very beautiful young woman, even when you are asleep and your hair spread all over the place." He confidently told her. "I started a cooking fire and walked down and got us some water for tea, and I have a pot of sweet rice cooking for our breakfast."

"There you go using those words again... us, our..." Anila shook her head; she just didn't understand what it meant. "You are confusing me."

"I don't mean to confuse you, Beautiful One, I'm sorry. The rice is done now, so let's eat." He said as he handed Anila a bowl of rice and a spoon to eat with.

She sat quietly looking at her bowl of sweet rice as she ate, occasionally she would look up at him, blush and then go back to staring at her food again.

He always had a smooth word and a confident smile.

* * *

It was the afternoon before the festival and Anila had seen the group from the Eastern Air Temple arrive. She met with them while they were setting up their campsite.

"Sister Opame! It is so wonderful to see you again! I have missed you dearly." Anila said with a huge smile and a hug for the woman that raised her.

"Sister Dolkar," Anila said with a formal and respectful bow, "it is nice to see you as well." Then she turned and looked at Choden and the other girls Anila tutored; all gave Anila a hug.

"Sister Dolkar, after we set up camp, may we go gliding with Anila? We missed her dearly." Choden asked.

Anila was caught off guard by Sister Dolkar answer. "Anila, I am truly happy to see you are doing fine by yourself. We have raised you right, it fills my heart with joy." Said sister Dolkar, as a smile popped up in her old face while she talked again to her pupils. "Yes girls you may go gliding with Master Anila after camp is set up."

Anila thought she had somehow woken up in an Alternate Universe, with how Sister Dolkar was acting. Then, she ran back to where she and Amitaruci had set up their camps, to grab her glider.

"Hello Anila, where did you go?" Amitaruci asked her.

"The girls from the Eastern Air Temple are here! I'm going to go gliding with the girls from there, my friends." She said bubbly.

"Would you mind if I watched?" His dreamy smile seemed to melt her insides. "You are so talented, I enjoy watching you... everything you do, Beautiful One."

Anila was beaming. He was always so nice and she couldn't say no when he gave her that smile. "Sure, if you want to." He followed her as she jogged off to join the younger girls from the Eastern Air Temple.

Anila was a great and powerful young Master Airbender; all the girls flew around her as she showed off, not only to the girls but to Amitaruci as well.

She loved the company he gave her and he always said things that made her smile. He had told her that she could continue using his pillow and blanket if she let him stay in her warm tent. She had caught him often staring at her with a strange glint in his eye, when she saw him looking at her he would flash his dreamy smile.

* * *

The day of the festival had arrived and unlike when she was younger, she stayed with the other adults. First they bowed four times to the great statue showing respect to Lady Tienhai, and then they all sat down and listen to the story of Lady Tienhai, and how the humans had caused her death, about how Avatar Yangchen met with the Great Spirit Old Iron and how she had made the deal with him to keep the Festivals grounds as nature made it, that if the rest of the world knew The Air Nomads treated these lands as sacred, then nobody would try to build anything there again.

When it was time for her to bow, Amitaruci was right behind her. When it was time to sit and learn, a few male Air Nomads greeted her and gave the beautiful young woman lots of attention.

"Hello, young Master! I haven't seen you before. My name is Maninder." He bowed to her.

Anila smiled at this man that looked to be in his eairly twenties, "My name is Anila... This is my first time here on my own."

"So you just recently turned sixteen, which is so wonderful for you. Have you made any new friends yet Anila?" He casually asked her.

"New friends that I have met this festival, just you so far." Anila told him with a sweet smile, that grew larger as she blushed a bit when she saw Amitaruci walking up behind this new man she had just met.

"Anila you have a very beautiful smile!" Maninder said to her, not noticing Amitaruci behind him.

"She does! Doesn't she?" Amitaruci said . "Beautiful One, I think you should come and sit with me over here in this group."

Maninder was shocked to see that Amitaruci already knew her. She had said she had not made any new friends at the festival yet.

"Oh, okay Amitaruci, if you want me to." Anila blushed a bit when Amitaruci placed his hand on her lower back. "It was nice to meet you Maninder; maybe we will see each other again later."

Maninder scowled at Amitaruci as he walked away with the beautiful young Master.

When the music started, they all got up to start the walk down to where they ate their traditional lunch. Amitaruci told Anila where to sit while he went to fill their water pouches. While he was away, several male Air Nomads greeted her with bows and introductions. All the men had her blushing, from their kind words and handsome smiles. "I thought I was the first new Air Nomad you have met this year." Maninder said, "But you already knew Amitaruci."

"I met Amitaruci two years ago, just after I had just earned my tattoos... He has been such a wonderful help, keeping me from feeling lonely." Anila told them all. All the men around her were very handsome, some where tall; some not so much. Most of them sported thin beards that ran from in front of their ears down along their jawline to their chin's. Anila didn't understand why she was getting greeted by so many handsome Air Nomads.

"I'm back with our water, MY Beautiful One! I see you have made some new friends. Would you like them to sit with you? There won't be any room for me here though." Amitaruci told her.

"Amitaruci, you have been such a kind and wonderful person, I'd rather eat with you." Anila smiled.

"I'm sorry men; she wants ME to share lunch with her. Anila is such a wonderful person, she has been so kind to me, my tent was stolen a couple weeks ago and she has let me stay in her tent while we are here. I was blessed by the Spirits when I helped her up from a fall two years ago. She is such a kind and beautiful young woman." Amitaruci said to them, shooing them away. Anila was _his_ Beautiful young Master.

"Well, I see some of my friends over there," Maninder said, being run off by Amitaruci. "I'm going to go say hello to them." All the men scattered as soon as Amitaruci sat down next to Anila.

Amitaruci stayed right by Anila's side the rest of the entire festival and she wasn't swarmed by men again, either._ 'I guess this is what Sister Opame meant about me being a VERY beautiful young woman and that many men might want to 'produce new Air Nomads' with me.'_ Anila thought to herself blushing a bit as she watched Air Nomads begin to pair up and readied their selfs to leave the festival together.

The Yangchen festival was more than just a festival; it was when Air Nomads come from all around the world... Anila realized what it was also. The Air Nomads would talk then slowly pair off, this was when they bred, and the pairs would be creating new Air Nomads.

* * *

The festival was almost over, everyone was getting their stuff all packed up and were departing the festival grounds. Amitaruci approached Anila as she was getting ready to leave as well. "So where are you off to?" He asked her.

"Oh, there is so many places, I'm not sure yet. Do you know of any great places?" Anila asked him.

"Anila, I want to ask you something... you can say no if you want to. Would you like to travel with me for a few months? I really enjoy being with you... We can get to know each other a bit better and I would truly enjoy it, Beautiful One." Amitaruci said displaying his dreamy smile that melted her.

Anila stood, frozen in shock for what felt like an eternity. She didn't fully understand what he was asking. Before the festival started he had said he would like to help her fell less lonely, but she thought that he only meant it during the festival... Sister Opame had told her what was the meaning of _'travel with me for a few months'_ and she didn't know what to say to him.

"Well... Uuummmm... I... Uuummmm," his smile made her head all foggy,. "I... I suppose we can, if you want to."

"I am happy you want to travel with me for a few months." Amitaruci told her, gently brushing the back of his fingers over her beautiful cheek.

* * *

**Names and Meanings**

Maninder- Masculine; potent

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	7. Chapter 6: Travel With Me

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

**I want to thank one of my wonderful friends EvilAngel310, for the help she gave me in writing this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Anila was on Chesa, they were following behind Amitaruci and Dorjee. He told her he knew of a really beautiful secluded spot on a small tropical volcanic island in the southern part of the Fire Nation. Fall was here and the air temperature was beginning to drop. By winter snow would cover most of the world, and where it didn't it was still very cold, but not in the Fire Nation, where it was quite warm all winter long. It had taken a few days to get there. Each day they would stop to eat and set up camp for the night. Today was the same as all the days before, except that Amitaruci had told her that this would be the last time they would be camping like this, that by tomorrow afternoon they would be where he wanted to take her. Anila noticed Dorjee getting closer and closer to the ground and urged Chesa to follow. They had reached The Fire Nation, but they were not, where he wanted to take her. They landed on a small island, then went into the town nearby.

"Welcome to Roku's Island," They were greeted by a kind woman at a produce stall just inside the town. "We love to get visits from the Air Nomads. You are in luck, there is going to be a celebration and parade today, in honor of Avatar Roku's birthday. He will be at the very front of it and you will get to see him if you stay for the celebration!" The woman was quiet excited about the day's upcoming events.

Anila turned to Amitaruci, "Can we stay for a little while, please?" The girl asked. "Everything seems so fun... and I may never get a chance to see The Avatar ever again."

"Whatever you want Anila." He said with his trademark smile.

"Oh, thank you so much!" She bounced and giggled happily as she hugged him, she also turned a few shades redder, surprised at herself. The hug made Amitaruci smile even larger.

They wandered through the market place for a while. Anila stopped at a little shop that had beautiful accessories, Anila picked up a hair brush. All Anila had was a comb that often ripped out her hair when she combed through it after a lot of thrashing in her sleep.

"That's a beautiful brush Anila." Amitaruci said as he watched her.

"I was thinking about maybe getting myself one, when I move my head a lot on my... your pillow I get all kinds of knots and it hurts to comb my hair." Anila told him as she set the brush back down and looked at some other hair things.

"We wouldn't want it to hurt you when you have to comb out knots in your hair; when you move your head against the pillow it causes a lot of knots in your hair." He told her as he picked up the brush she had set down, he handed the shop owner 2 gold pieces for the brush. "Here Anila, I just bought this for you." he said handing her the beautiful brush.

"You... You didn't have to buy it for me, It must have cost a lot, it's so beautifully carved." She said as she accepted the hair brush. She quickly ran it through her hair, it left a glossy shine to her long silky black hair.

"It's not as beautiful as you are." He told her.

After a little while more of walking around the market and a lunch of Papaya and cheese curds the celebration began. Anila grabbed Amitaruci's hand and pulled him to the front row with her while they interlocked their fingers. First down the stone streets, was a fine little marching band followed by a tall elderly man with long white hair and a long white beard; he had a top knot with a little metal flame thing in his hair. He was sitting in an open carriage waving as he passed. He had spotted the two Air Nomads in the front row and gave a respectful nod to them, Anila and Amitaruci bowed back as The Avatar passed.

The festivities continued well until dark when the fireworks started. Anila was in awe because she had never seen fireworks before. Amitaruci was standing behind Anila with his hands on her shoulders as they watched the fireworks; his body was so close to hers that she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

She shivered a bit in the chilly night air Amitaruci felt her shiver and started to rub her shoulders and arms to create heat for her. "Do you want to go back to our camp? We don't want you to get sick from the cold air." He said to her a bit concerned for her health.

"Yeah," Anila let out a sad sigh, "We should. Everything is just so amazing."

"Come here." he said as he pulled her against himself. Her back side touching his front, and he wrapped his over robe around her along with his arms. At first his touch shocked her, but at the same time it felt wonderful, and so warm. She shivered again but this time it was a rush of goose bumps that had caused it.

Anila yawned and leaned into him more. "Ok, we better go back before you fall asleep and I have to carry." Anila nodded sleepily as they walked back to their camp. They had eaten dinner at the festival so as soon as they got back to their camp site Amitaruci helped Anila get into her tent, she snuggled down into the soft pillow as he pulled the blanket over her.

* * *

The next morning, Anila was brushing her hair with her beautiful new brush. She was sitting in front of the breakfast fire; there was a tea pot as well as a pot of bubbling hot cereal. Amitaruci had taken a walk to go find them some nuts and berries to go with the cereal, as soon as she had crawled out of her tent. Anila took the tea pot off of the fire after it started to steam and she poured a cup for herself and one for Amitaruci, even though she wasn't exactly sure when he'd be back. She didn't expect that he'd be gone too long, he had been very happy about being so close to their destination, and wanting to get there as soon as they could. Amitaruci was gone for only about twenty minuets.

During breakfast, Amitaruci had told Anila he wanted to spend all of fall and winter with her in the place he'd chosen, which was about five and a half months. He'd regaled her with descriptions of all the benefits there were: it was warm, had a good supply of edible vegetation, huge open expanses, enough greenery for their Sky Bison, and plenty of fresh, easily accessible water. On top of all that, the place was secluded enough that they shouldn't be bothered by unwelcome guests - but at the same time close enough to human habitation, that it wouldn't be a problem if they needed something.

After they'd finished eating, Amitaruci helped Anila put her tent and belongings away, moving with a haste that belied his laid-back attitude. He seemed more intent on reaching their destination than ever before.

* * *

Anila meditated as Chesa flew behind Dorjee; the closer they got to their destination the more nervous and frightened Anila was becoming. She knew what was expected of her while they were there. As she meditated the words of Sister Opame kept coming into her head. "Painful" "you may cry" "Remove your mind, like when you got your tattoos." "It's important to the survival of Air Nomads everywhere."

Chesa groaned letting her meditating best friend know that Dorjee and Amitaruci were descending. Anila was feeling quite anxious and sat on Chesa's head for a little while, after they landed.

Amitaruci had completely unloaded Dorjee, saddle and all and he had expected Anila to do the same. But when he turned to where Chesa had landed, Anila was sitting still as a stone statue at one of the Air Temples. He walked over to her "Anila what's wrong? Let me help you down." He said as he reached his hand up to her.

She shook her head at him and scooted away from him, sliding off of Chesa's head on the opposite side. Anila felt a little sick to her stomach. "I... I'm fine, I can put the saddle on myself. I mean take it off myself... I'll put my tent up over here."

"Sweet, beautiful one, what's wrong?" Amitaruci asked her. "Are you ok?" She nodded her head first, then shook it.

"Do you want me to help you?" Amitaruci asked her, she was slowly backing away from him shaking her head, fear showed in her eyes.

"Are you afraid of me, Beautiful one?" He questioned.

She looked like a frightened little rabbit. Her eye wide and muscles tense ready to bolt at the slightest movement from him. "I... I'm scared. I'm scared you will hurt me. Sister Opame told me it hurts... That... That I would cry that I should... I should remove my mind, like when we get our tattoos." She had kept slowly backing up as she told him what was wrong.

He gave her a reassuring smile; he knew if he laughed she would take off, he didn't want to scare her off, and he wanted to comfort her. He lifted his hands up next to his shoulders and took a few steps away from her. "Oh, Anila I don't want to hurt you, I would never want that. I want you to be happy, to have fun with me here. I will be gentle, we'll take things at your pace, I won't even touch you unless you want me to, and you have no reason to worry. Please don't be afraid of me, Beautiful One."

"I have an idea, Beautiful One, Why don't you go down and get us some water? I'll get everything set up; I even know how to make a shelter out of our saddles. I can cook us dinner and all."

"O... Okay." Anila took all the water pouches and walked over to the water. As she filled each of the pouches she turned and watched him working to set up camp, every once in a while he would turn to look at her and he smiled to her. _'He doesn't want to hurt me, he's always been so nice to me, concerned about me getting hurt or getting sick... he wouldn't be so concerned if he didn't care, if he wanted to hurt me. I'm such a silly girl!'_ Anila smiled back at him and his smile got bigger.

When the pouches were full, she picked them all up and went over to sit by the fire as he finished cooking dinner. He often looked at her and smiled while she would shyly smile back. Anila was still very anxious but she trusted him, he had never purposely done anything to harm her or scare her in any way. She thought about that kiss he had given her, how it had made her feel so good. If one small kiss made her feel good, how would more kissing make her feel?

Anila sat quietly as she ate the rice and vegetables he had cooked for them. After she finished her food she felt better, less scared. She was staring into the flames when he said her name.

"Anila... Anila, Can I take your plate? I am going to go clean them. You can sit out here by the fire or go into the warm shelter I made for us." Amitaruci told her with a smile on his face and in a calming voice.

She smiled back at him, in a shaky voice she said "Okay, I'll go in the shelter. Thank you Amitaruci." She knew that going into the shelter meant she was ready to be with him.

"Are you sure?" He asked her. "I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you."

She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. Her frightened expression turned to a look of resolve, "Yes, I'm sure."

As he walked off to the water she went into the shelter, inside was lit by a small lantern. She sat down on the mats he had put side by side, the pillow in the middle and the blanket across both mats. She looked around, it was quaint and comfortable, and like he said nice and warm. She had never known that you could make a little shelter out of two sky bison saddles some poles and a couple of tarps.

After about ten minutes, he joined her in the shelter, kneeling in front of her. "You really are very beautiful, Anila. I promise I wont hurt you, please don't get frightened." He softly brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. He leaned down and started kissing her very soft at first; they made her have a little smile. The kissing got heavier, her breathing got heavier, her head was spinning and it felt so good.

He sat himself down in front of her and pulled her onto his lap; she shifted slightly to balance herself better and froze as she felt something she had not expected. He started kissing her and she relaxed again. He nibbled on her lip and she gasped at the delightful feeling that filled her head, and clouded her mind. He gently laid her down on the makeshift bed as he kissed her. He started untying all the layers of her robes, helping her out of them…

* * *

When Anila woke up the next morning she was still naked, and Amitaruci was not in the shelter. As she sat up, she gasped at the soreness within her. She held the blanket over herself as she looked for her robes he had removed from her the previous night.

"Good Morning, Beautiful One." Amitaruci said as he entered the shelter. "I brought you breakfast." He had a bowl in one hand and a tea cup in the other. He set them down on a makeshift table in the corner of the room as he sat down next to her.

"Can you help me find my clothes?" She asked him as she held the blanket over her bare body.

"You don't need them right now. It's just us here." He told her with his dreamy smile.

"But... But I feel..." She started but was interrupted by him.

"Anila you are very beautiful, EVERYTHING of you is very beautiful." he said as he ran his hand softly down her side and began to kiss her again. He start undressing himself again, as he deeply kissed her.

* * *

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	8. Chapter 7: Everything Feels so Perfect

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

* * *

While Anila was with Amitaruci the time passed quickly in their paradise and she was having so much fun. She loved standing in the middle of the green field and spin around and around looking up at the sky and laughing at her dizziness and the tickle in her tummy she got. She felt so free and happy. She loved how Amitaruci always smiled as he watched her and sometimes he would join her, picking her up and spinning himself. Sometimes he would fall over and she would land on top of him and they would laugh and laugh at themselves.

One day before she knew it, a whole month had already passed. Anila curiously ventured into the stand of nearby trees, basket in hand, to search for berries, nuts and fruits to snack on. While walking she found a small opening that was covered in beautiful delicate flowers; she picked a few bunches and put them into her basket, she was going to make a wreath to wear in her hair. She thought traveling all over the place is all she wanted to do, but staying here, now with this wonderful man was better than any traveling on her own. She always felt so happy with him. Once she had filled her basket, as she walked along the small path through the trees, she sang a sweet little nursery lullaby that Sister Opame used to sing to her when she got scared or sad or if she got hurt.

"I didn't know you could sing, Anila, what is that? Is there nothing that isn't beautiful about you?" Amitaruci said to her as she came out of the stand of trees. He always said words that made her smile and blush.

"It's nothing, just something Sister Opame used to sing me when I was little." Anila said. "I picked us some fruit."

"That is great." Amitaruci said as she walked over and sat next him. "You picked flowers too?" He said as he looked into the basket.

"Yeah I'm going to make something with them, they are so pretty." Anila pulled out a beautifully ripe fruit and took a bite. "I got hungry so I went to get us a snack."

"Thank you sweet Anila." Amitaruci said smiling widely at her.

After their snack, she started to weave the flowers into a wreath to wear. Amitaruci was working on a stick with a small knife from a tool kit he had pulled out of his belongings. He had made it perfectly cylindrical, then started to hollow it out with a long sharp tool.

"What are you making?" She asked him as she watched him concentrate on the stick, still weaving her wreath.

"I'm making a flute, I sell them and that's how I get my money. Have you found a talent that you could use to make money?" He asked her.

"Oh, well, not really... I don't know if I even have any talents." Anila said, not sure what she could do to earn money, as she weaved her flower wreath.

"You could do that." Amitaruci said to her as he watched her nimble fingers move creating a crown made of beautiful flowers.

When she looked up at him, she had a confused look on her face, "What? this? This is just something I like to do for fun."

"It's a talent; I believe you could sell them for a few silver pieces each." Amitaruci told her "There are so many different kinds of flowers each season and all over the world. You could travel around and find the flowers you like best. You can set up a migration route, where the best flowers are for each season and each nation."

They both went back to what they were doing, Anila had enough flowers that she made two wreathes; she set them both on her head. Seeing as he continued to work with his tools, Anila decided to collect all their empty water pouches and carried them over to the pool of sparkling, fresh water to fill them. While doing it, she turned to watch Amitaruci and her heart fluttered at the sight of his muscular arms smoothing the rough edge off the wood."I'm going to go fill the water pouches."

"Okay, beautiful one" He smiled up at her then went back to concentrating on his stick and little tools.

Anila collected all their empty water pouches and carried them over to the pool of sparkling, fresh water to fill them. She turned to watch Amitaruci as she filled the pouches and her heart fluttered as she watched him.

He was so sweet and always smiled at her, always showed concern for her well being; he was always so gentle with her when their bodies join in the nights. As she thought about all this her breath caught in her throat, she hadn't realized it until right now. She had fallen in love and she actually loved him with all her heart! 'Love is an earthly attachment; we must rid ourselves of earthly attachments to reach full enlightenment.' Sister Dolkar's voice rang in her head. 'I just won't say it out loud!' Anila told Sister Dolkar's voice.

After she finished filling the pouches and put them down by the shelter, she quietly sneaked up on him from behind and dropped the second flower wreath on his shaved head. She giggled then took off running, he laughed as he set his work off to the side and got up to chase her. She giggled as she ran from him until he caught up to her and grabbed her; she laughed and wiggled while he held her in his arms and tickled her.

* * *

There was a heavy storm that came in and the two ended up having to stay inside the small shelter Amitaruci had constructed, for almost a week straight, a week full of passion and Pai Sho.

By the sixth nigh, they were playing a game of Pai Sho before they went to sleep.

"I really hope you are enjoying our time together. I have never been as happy as I have been here with you," Amitaruci said kissing her, then he moved a little disk on the large round game board.

"I feel the same whenever I'm around you, I have never been happier in my whole life Amitaruci. You make me so happy." Anila told him kissing him back, then she moved a tiny disk. "Your move"

He sat staring at the game bored with his eyebrows nit and his lips pursed, there was only one move he could make and if he did she'd win the game. She giggled lightly. He looked up at her, "What?" he asked.

"You look silly like that... and face it, I won and we both know it." She laughed.

"You are going to laugh at ME?" He said in mock shock, covering his heart like he had just been shot by an arrow, "How could you?!" He let himself fall backwards like she had killed him.

Anila was laughing so hard she snorted and laughed harder falling over herself. Amitaruci sat up and crawled to her, he took her hand and tried to help her sit back up, but she was laughing so hard her whole was limp.

"Anila" He said, openly grinning "I'm going to kiss you senseless now." As soon as his lips touched hers, all her laughter stopped as she melted in his arms. She loved him and she wanted to show him exactly how she felt. Their kiss had become so much deeper and she slowly rose to a sitting position. Her hands reached for his robes, untying them tossing each piece to the side. His hands slowly slid up her legs then disappeared beneath her skirt causing her to let out a soft purr.

The next morning, Anila woke up and rolled onto her side, when she was hit by a wave of nausea so strong, that she grabbed her outer robe to cover her bare body and stumbled over Amitaruci as she ran outside and started retching over a nearby bush. After about twenty minutes of dry heaving, her stomach felt a little better but she felt so dizzy; she sat down on the ground pulling her robe around herself, she was panting and tears streaked her cheeks.

"Oh, sweet beautiful one" Amitaruci said, "Let me help you inside you really should lay down; I'll make you some tea, and bring some bread in too, you should feel better soon."

"I must have eaten something that didn't agree with my stomach last night. Oh, I have never felt so horrible in my life." Anila weakly said as Amitaruci helped her pull her dress over her head then she lay down and he pulled the blanket over her and tucked her in.

"I'll be right back with tea, ok Anila?" Amitaruci told her, just before going outside and starting the fire.

After a cup of tea and some dry bread, she was starting to feel a lot better. After a nap, she gained enough strength to sit outside with Amitaruci. He sat next to her cuddling her against himself. "I just can't figure it out; I don't know why I feel like this." Anila whimpered against his chest.

He rubbed her arms and pulled her tighter against him, "I know what's wrong, My Sweet Anila" He told her kissing the top of her head. "I think maybe you are pregnant."

"But... but we have only been here for a little over a month!" Anila was shocked at his words, "It's so soon... I thought... I thought it would take longer than that."

"It's going to be okay, I'll be here to take care of you when you are sick." Amitaruci told her as he rocked her a bit.

* * *

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	9. Chapter 8: The First Few Months

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Poor Anila, now two and a half months along in her pregnancy, was so sick all the time, she spend most days laying down in the shelter than outside with Amitaruci. Sister Opame didn't tell her being pregnant makes you sick to your stomach, or weak and tired feeling all the time. But Amitaruci was so sweet and kind to her, he took good care of her.

"Anila," Amitaruci said as he entered the shelter, "I made you some tea and bread for your stomach. I am going to go to the nearest village and sell my flutes so that I can buy you some more tea and biscuits for your stomach. I should only be gone for a couple hours, okay?" He was really concerned for her.

Anila sat herself up and took the cup from him and sipped it carefully. "Okay, I'll probably be napping when you get back... I feel so weak and tired all the time."

"I know, it is hitting you hard, I haven't seen anyone have it as hard as you do, sweet Anila. I'm here to take care of you until you are okay again." He said then kissed her arrow on her forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Okay." Anila said sipping more of her tea. He left and Anila finished her tea and bread she laid down again and drifted off to sleep. When she woke up she crawled out of the shelter and laid in the soft grass soaking up the rays of the warm sun, it actually made her feel a little bit better.

An hour later Amitaruci came flying in on Dorjee. "Hi Anila, I'm happy to see you outside right now."

Anila grinned widely, "I wanted some fresh air, I feel a little better now."

"Do you need some peppermint tea for your stomach?" Amitaruci asked her.

"No, not right now, but I am a little hungry." She said soaking up the warm sun rays.

"Ok, what would you like?" He asked her.

"Do we have any cheese curds?" She asked him.

"Yeah, I just bought some more." He said pulling out a medium sized tightly woven basket lined with several layers of cloth and spooned some of it's contents into a bowl and handed it to her.

She took it and began to eat more in that one meal than she had in the past week. "May I have some bread too please? And fruit!"

He looked a little surprised at her increased appetite, since just a few hours ago she was so weak and tired. He was happy she was ok... He had heard of some women so weak and sick that they have actually died because of the pregnancy, Anila had him worried. He was very happy to see her like this; he handed her every bit of food she asked for. He chuckled softly then said "Looks like I am going to have to make a lot more flutes quickly."

She looked up at him, and swallowed a mouth full of bread and cheese curds. "I... I can try to eat less."

"No, I don't want you to eat less... The more you eat the healthier our baby will be, Beautiful one." The tall handsome man told her.

"You are ok with me eating a lot?' Anila asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine with it." He told her

After she finished eating she crawled into the little shelter and curled up on their makeshift bed and happily dozed off with a full tummy.

* * *

Anila Woke up to the wonderful sounds of birds and animals in the nearby stand of trees. She took a deep breath in and blew it out as she stretch. She rolled onto her side and snuggled up aginst Amitaruci. He smiled and brought his arms around her and held her close, kissing the top of her head. "I'm happy to see that you didn't wake up sick. Everything should be much easier for you since you are past that stage."

"I don't want to get up yet, I haven't been able to sleep in for over two months... Can we stay in bed for a little while longer, please?" She gave him her cutest little pout.

"I suppose we could stay in bed a little longer... but what should we do while we are in bed? We're already awake." Amitaruci said to her, holding her body aginst his.

She reached up and softly traced his handsome square jaw line with her fingers. His hand came up and he took hold of her fingers and brought them to his lips softly kissing the tip of each finger in turn. She giggled as goosebumps over her, head to toe. He propped himself up on his elbow as he leaned over and started to kiss her softly at first. She sighed softly then brought the kiss to a deeper level, she had fallen so deeply in love with him. She wished she could tell him how she felt, how carrying his baby made her feel so special, that he had chosen her, just barely old enough to be on her own. Her the awkward girl that tripped over him two years ago. His hand traced the curves of her body, pausing on her lowed abdomen, a small smile appeared as he felt the small bump beginning to show, the bump that told them that their baby was growing inside of her at this very moment; she was creating life for him within her body.

"Anila, you are such a beautiful young woman, you are so much fun to be around, to play with. You truly are so special to me, as is our baby you carry inside of you." Amitaruci told her as he brushed her soft cheek then placed a soft kiss on her lips again. turning her lips into a small smile.

* * *

Anila now five and a half months along, Woke up from a nap and crawled outside. "I'm hungry, do we have and fruit?" She asked Amitaruci as she absentmindedly rubbed her protruding belly.

Amitaruci looked up at her from the flute her was working on, and smiled at her hand on her belly, "Yeah, I have some bananas and melon. Which would you like?"

"Oh they both sound so yummy, can I have both?" She asked him, she still felt funny asking for so much to eat.

"Yes, Anila, you can have both... Would you like any bread or tofu? I want you to eat as much as you want." He smiled at he.

She sat down beside him and started to eat. Anila's gasped and her eyes went wide. "Is something wrong?" Amitaruci asked concerned for her and the baby.

"No!" She said grabbing his band and placed it on her belly. "Feel!"

He smiled as he felt the healthy baby kick. "Our baby is so strong and healthy, Anila!"

Anila started laughing and he joined in.

"What should we name it?" Anila asked.

"I hadn't thought about that yet. I guess since we can feel it kicking it deserves a good strong name. One fit for a powerful and beautiful Air Nomad." Amitaruci said as he felt his child hick at his hand.

"I like Heema for a girl, it means golden." Anila said.

"Heema is a very beautiful name. What do you think of Asha? Since your name and mine start with A's we could give it an A name too Asha means hope." Amitaruci said.

"I hadn't thought of that! You are right we should give it an A name, our little family all with A names." Anila said excitedly.

"Yes all with A names." He smiled.

Anila contented to sat as they exchanged baby names that they liked. "How about Akil, it means complete."

"I like Abhay, it means Brave, fearless... Like you Anila, you are fearless and strong." Amitaruci said.

"Or Anish...it means supreme." Anila said to him.

"How about... hummm... Ajay, it means unconquerable." Amitaruci suggested to Anila.

"I really like the name Aang, it means soaring peacefully... That's how I feel when I am in the sky, like I'm soaring peacefully. The sky is where we belong.? Anila said as she closed her eyes and thought about how it felt to be one with the air and the sky.

"Aang is a great name... Yes, I do like Aang the best. If it's a girl she will be Asha, and if it's a boy he will be Aang. Beautiful names Anila" He said as he rested his hand on her swollen tummy feeling his baby continuing to kick at his hand. Anila and Amitaruci both so happy to have created this life that she carries within her. Amitaruci layed his head on her belly listening to the sounds coming from the fetus. He turned his head and placed 2 kisses on her tummy then sat up and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You truly are a special young woman Anila, you make me so happy."

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	10. Chapter 9: Spring has arrived

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 9**

Anila came out of the shelter and sat across from Amitaruci, who was working on yet another flute.

"Good morning Anila!" he said to her.

"Good morning!" She replied as she made herself a bowl of hot cereal and a cup of tea. Then she sat to eat her breakfast and to chat with him.

"Wow you've made a lot of flutes." She said while she was chewing her food.

"Spring is almost here and I need to make sure there is enough money for food and other necessities we will each need for the next few months." Amitaruci said while he started to test the newest flute he had made.

"I can make some hair wreaths too and we can sell them to help with money." Anila said. She ate as quickly as she could, giving herself hiccups in the process.

When she finished eating, Anila grabbed her basket, singing as she filled it with the most beautiful flowers in the field until it was full of them, then returned to their little camp site. Her fingers worked quickly as she weaved, creating beautiful circlet after beautiful circlet. When she had ran out of flowers she had made a total of ten wreaths.

"I want to teach you how to sell your crafts. Air Nomad crafts usually sell well they're handmade with care and craftsmanship. We don't want people to take advantage of your youth and offer you less than it is worth Anila. Your flower wreaths are very beautiful, although not as beautiful as you are. " Amitaruci explained patiently to her.

"Okay are we ready to go sell our crafts?" He asked her while he was helping her carefully to put the beautiful circlets into her basket after he placed his flutes into a bag. Next, Amitaruci helped her get up, then he picked her up, jumped onto Dorjee's head setting her down and sat himself down next to her. "Ready?" he asked, Anila nodded in response, "Okay, yip yip!" and Dorjee began the flight to the nearest village.

An hour after, Dorjee landed just outside the village marketplace. "I have a few friends that own shops here in this village. First we are going to go to my friend Li's shop." Amitaruci said. He held Anila's hand as they walked through the marketplace. There were all kinds of shops and carts people calling out their wares as the Airbenders walked through the village. They entered a small shop in the center of the market, where Amitaruci greeted a woman holding a baby. "Hello Li! I'm here to sell you some more of my flutes, and Anila here" He coaxed her forward a little, "Has made some beautiful floral wreaths that she would like to sell also."

"Hello, Anila! I'm Li, and this little one is my son Kuzon, he's now two months old." Li told her as she held the baby in her arms cuddling it. "Would you like to hold him?"

"I... I've never held a baby before". Anila said shyly.

"Well it looks like you might need just a tiny bit of practice." Li chuckled softly as she pointed out Anila's protruding round belly. "Here, I'll show you how to hold a baby." Li showed Anila how to hold her arms and how to give the tiny baby proper neck support.

Amitaruci smiled as he watched Anila hold the baby, as she swayed back and forth. "You look so beautiful with a baby in your arms, Anila." Then he turned back to Li, "Anila and I need some money for food and necessities to last each of us for the next few months. I have a bag of flutes for you right here."

Li took the bag and examined each flute individually. "You are a wonderful craftsman Amitaruci, I have these on back order, so many people want your flutes."

"I only sell them to you, here." Amitaruci said with a smile. "I always get the best coin from you."

Li opened a small lock box and gave him four gold pieces for each flute. The beauty and quality of his flutes were so high that she was able to get six gold pieces for each one. "And now for the wreathes, may I look at them first?"

"Yes please" Anila said "I made them with the most beautiful flowers I could find." Amitaruci set Anila's basket on the counter and opened it, then he carefully took each out and set them out for Li to look at.

"Oh, my they are so beautiful! I'll buy all of them from you... Five silver pieces each?" Li asked Anila.

"Well... Uuummmmm..." Anila turned to Amitaruci "is that a good price to sell them at?"

"It is quite fair, Anila. Li has one of the best shops in this village." He told her. "She always gives me a fair price."

"Thank you so much for buying my wreaths, and letting me hold your baby. He is so beautiful... I hope to have a little boy too." Anila said as she handed the baby back to his mother.

"Thank you so much Li. Now we have provisions to buy before returning to our campsite." Amitaruci made his farewells, left after he took Anila's hand and led her through the marketplace. By the time they left they had large bags of rice and grain, as well as several containers of cheese curd and several loaves of bread.

"Anila... I want to buy my special girl a few gifts." Amitaruci told her.

"A few gifts? Like what kind?" She asked a bit surprised.

"You deserve a few special things. I want you to choose anything from this shop right here." He stopped in front of a jewelry vender.

Anila's eyes went wide as she looked at all the beautiful things laid out for her to see. "Oh I love this comb! May I have this hair comb?"

"Yes, you may... Please pick out one more thing." Amitaruci told her.

Anila picked out an arm circlet also. Amitaruci paid the vender and they began walking back to where they left Dorjee.

Amitaruci tied all the bags to Dorjee's large horns and helped Anila to get comfortable. "Yip yip" he called out and started their trip back to their private little hidden campsite.

Anila had lunch as they soared through the sky, "Soaring peacefully." Anila said as she cuddled up to her baby's father.

"Yes, we are Beautiful One." Amitaruci said with a smile as he watched her yawn.

"I'm so tired now that I ate lunch, may I lay my head on your lap?" Anila asked him as she yawned.

"Of course you can, you are tired a lot." Amitaruci said as Anila layed down on Dorjee's head, resting her head on his lap.

* * *

"Spring is just about here, Anila, it will be time to move on soon." Amitaruci told her.

"This has been the best time of my life, here with you, everything is just so perfect." Anila said. They were lying in bed for the night.

"It has been perfect; I have never had as much fun as I have here with you, Anila." He said as he put his hand on the growing ball that was his child, and smiled. "So you're hoping it's a boy?"

"Yeah... Were you hoping for a girl?" Anila asked him.

"Boy or girl... It doesn't matter to me, it will be beautiful and powerful, just like we are!" He told her as he felt the baby kick at his hand.

When Anila woke up several hours later Amitaruci was already up. She crawled out of the shelter and found him cooking breakfast. "Good morning" She told him.

He smiled and responded "Good morning Beautiful One! I have breakfast waiting for you. Spring is here, it's time to pack up and move on. Don't worry I wouldn't make you do heavy work, I'll pack and load everything."

"Oh, okay, thank you." Anila smiled as she ate her breakfast.

Amitaruci had everything broken down, saddles back on their bison, and by the time she was done with her breakfast he had everything done. He came over and sat down next to her; he rested his hand on her growing belly and smiled. "Anila, I haven't had as wonderful a time as I have here with you. I was scared for a bit when you became so sick. but I was so relieved when you got better."

He spoke the next sentence slowly while he caress her cheek "Anila, you are very special to me, I wanted to tell you that... you mean a lot to me and you always will."

"I have had a wonderful time here with you too. Being with you is so wonderful, you make me so happy!" Anila answered cheerfully, enjoying the moment.

He kissed her forehead and the next words that came out of his mouth froze Anila's heart. "You should go back to your home temple until it's time for you to head to the Western Air Temple. It has been wonderful, but it's time to move on." Amitaruci told her the last sentence as he jumped up on Dorjee. "Goodbye, Anila I truly look forward to seeing you and our baby at the next Yangchan Festival! I gave you my pillow and blanket, so you can be comfortable." and with that said he called out "Yip, yip!" and left.

"But... but I love you... and I thought... I thought you loved me." She said to him in a whisper, even though he was already gone. She felt like her heart had been ripped right from her chest and she had to sit down, because if she didn't, she would have collapsed and she didn't want to hurt their baby. She cried and cried for what she felt like hours.

At the end, Anila decided to do what he told her, she climbed up on Chesa and headed east, to her home, The Eastern Air Temple.

* * *

"Look Chesa!" Anila told her sky bison. "I can see it from here! We're almost home!"

About twenty minutes later, she landed in the main square where she was swarmed by so many girls it made her laugh.

"Anila! I am so happy to see you!" the girls called up to her.

"Welcome home, Master Anila." Sister Dolkar said to her while they gave each other a formal and respectful bow.

Then Anila heard the one person she wanted to see the most, her guardian, the woman that raised her, the woman that she loved and the closest she had to a mother figure. Anila ran to hug the kind sweet woman.

"Anila I am so happy to see you!" Sister Opame said as she came up to hug her. "Oh! You are with child!"

"Yeah, I am... You're not mad at me are you Sister Opame?" Anila asked her nervously.

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	11. Ch 10: Return to the Eastern Air Temple

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 10**

* * *

"Are you upset with me?" Anila had been worried that her guardian would be upset with her.

"No Anila. It was your choice." The woman smiled placidly. "It looks like we have a feast to prepare for you."

"Is there a place for me to stay here for a couple of months? He told me I should stay here until it was time to go to the Western Air Temple." Anila said as her bigger worries disappeared from her mind.

"Yes, Anila, your room is still empty, so you can stay there again." Sister Opame told her with a bright smile on her lips. Anila's old room is connected to Sister Opame's so it would be just like it used to be before.

While they walked to the room together, Sister Opame asked Anila a few more questions "Does the baby move a lot? Tonight at the feast we will ask the spirits to bless the child."

"Yes, it moves a lot... I always feel hungry and tired I didn't know that being pregnant was so draining... I was so sick at first I thought I was going to die, I was always so weak and throwing up. I didn't know it would make me so sick... He said he never saw a woman get that sick and weak before." Answered Anila with a hint of tears in her eyes.

"If he's a breeder then he's probably right, they usually stay with the women during fall and winter. So they would know what's normal better than I would. I never bred." Sister Opame told her as they walked back to the two small adjoining rooms.

"Who is the father?" Sister Opame asked her.

Anila looked a bit sad, "You won't get mad that he's older than me?"

"No of course not, the men are just tools for breeding... They think we are but it's just not true, they have to display themselves, to catch our attention, remember I told you that you can always say no." Sister Opame explained. "Was it that man, the one that gave you his water pouch?" Anila nodded. "Oh, he was a handsome one; his babies must be very beautiful."

"But he... He acted like he loved me... always telling me I'm beautiful." Anila admitted to her.

"He might Anila, I can't tell you what he feels." Sister Opame told her.

When they reached their rooms, Anila put her stuff in a pile just inside the room, she would put it away for the next couple months, then she yawned tiredly. "I'm really tired Sister Opame, I think I'll take a nap for a little bit." Sister Opame then left the room. After she was alone she sat down on her bed rubbing her hand over her rapidly expanding tummy. "Hello in there." She said, talking as the baby kicked at her. "I know we aren't supposed to love but I love you, and I always will." Then she laid down and quickly fell asleep.

A few hours later…

"Anila" Sister Opame shook Anila's shoulder. "Your feast will be starting soon, you might want to wash up a bit before it starts."

"Yes Sister Opame, I'll be right down." Forgetting that she herself was no longer a student, Anila responded the same way she did growing up and she drowsily walked into the restroom to wash her face and hands. When she bumped the counter sooner than she had thought she would, she lit a candle and found that the counter had not been moved, but her tummy had extended forward. She lightly laughed at herself, how she could forget about the tiny baby growing inside her. "I will never forget about you, my little one." She said and then proceeded to wash up for her special feast.

When Anila came out, Sister Opame, who was waiting just outside Anila's room, took Anila's hands in both of hers. "This feast is all about you and the baby, the Airbender growing within you. We will be asking the Spirits to bless the child with health and a long life..." Sister Opame sighed then continued "Anila you have been like my daughter... I'm going to tell you something but you must NEVER tell anyone that I told you. Promise me please."

"I promise Sister Opame." Anila told her.

"I lied to you, I did breed, once..." the corners of her mouth turned up, "I gave birth to a beautiful black haired gray eyed little girl in about five and a half months she will be turning seventeen... I am so proud of her, because she turned out to be a very powerful, and a very beautiful Airbender... I just wanted to say I love you my daughter... Anila you are my daughter and there is nothing wrong with loving your child... You will have the option to keep your child, an option not many women do have... but well I did and I think she turned out wonderful...Now do you mind if I hug you?"

Anila and Sister Opame had tears running down their cheeks. The woman that she loved like a mother was actually her mother. She hugged the woman so tightly "I love you too Sis... mother."

Sister Opame laughed as she felt her grandchild kick strongly at her. "You must tell No One."

"I won't tell anyone, mother." Anila said with a happy smile, tears still running down her cheeks.

They walked down to the feast together where Anila took the head seat at the front table. Sister Dolkar stood and the room went silent, "Tonight we are happy to have Master Anila back with us. We are also very happy for her as she is carrying a new Air Nomad inside her. We asked the spirits to bless her with a healthy pregnancy, to bless the child with health and happiness, with power, and a long life." Everyone clapped after she sat down and trays upon trays of food were brought out and served to all the assistants. Everyone quieted down and sat motionless waiting until Anila picked up a sweet roll and took a bite, when everyone clapped and began also to eat Anila had no idea where it came from, but she had eaten several plates of dinner, and then had one and a half fruit cakes. She had NEVER eaten so much in her life... she had no idea she was that hungry... She had no idea where it all went.

At the end of the feast, Sister Dolkar stood once again, "The spirits have answered our request, Anila's child is VERY blessed. Thank you Spirits for blessing the child."

The next couple of months were wonderful for Anila. After she found out that she was raised by her mother, they spent a lot of time talking and sewing. Love was forbidden but her mother loved her so much that she had kept her, Anila was not sent off to be raised by some nun, but by her actual mother.

Sister Opame helped her sew clothes for herself because the child inside her was growing very quickly, resulting in tighter clothes than she had expected. "Do you have names picked out yet?" She asked Anila.

Anila looked up at her and smiled, "Yes we do Asha for a girl and Aang for a boy."

"Those are very beautiful names Anila..."

* * *

Anila was never one to meditate more than their teachings said to do a day, but with the baby on the way, many times she allowed her mind to be busy with the multiples questions swimming around in her head... 'If he's a breeder, and he must be twenty five at lease, how many of the young girls here could be his daughters?' she thought as she watched a group of little girls playing outside. His daughters would be about nine years old and younger.

_'Did he love me? He acted like he loved me, always so kind and helpful. He was gentle to me, he didn't want to scare me or hurt me in anyway. When we found out I was pregnant he took care of me, he cooked for and brought me food when I was laying down... He was worried when I was so sick and weak... If he didn't want to hurt, that mean he loves me?'_ So many thoughts and questions, she became even more confused than she already was.

The time had finally come for Anila to start going to the west. She packed her stuff, all the baby clothes she and her mother had made for her little one and she said goodbye to everyone.

"Anila, I was so happy to see you again and I am sad to see you go again, but I know as well as you, that it's time to go to The Western Air Temple. I want you to come back and visit from time to time... Remember also that you do not have to give your child away if you don't want to." Sister Opame told her as the they hugged. Then she helped Anila to get up on her sky bison.

With the last goodbye, Anila started her trek to the Western Air Temple. She had hoped her time she took meditating would have helped her feel better, but it didn't, it would take her a few weeks to get to The Western Air Temple.

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	12. Chapter 11 The Western Air Temple

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

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**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

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**(12 BG)**

Anila was starting to miss all her friends and the people at The Eastern Air temple. She had spent so much time meditating, but she also got time in with the girls she had tutored. She also had spent a lot of time with her mother.

It was so different that knowing her as Sister Opame. She had truly loved Anila so much that she kept her and she pretended to be a new nun that was bringing a child to care for with her to The Eastern Air Temple. You can decide to be a nun at any point in your life, and there were always small children, toddlers, that arrived at the temples with their new guardians.

Anila thought about what her mother had told her, that she did have the option to keep the baby and raise it herself. It wasn't well known among the Air Nomads because True Enlightenment was supposed to be their goal, it was drilled into them as they learned and grew. If true enlightenment meant giving up this baby that she had grown to love; to talk to it, to sing to it, to feel it kick, even to feel it hiccup, then she had decided she didn't want true enlightenment, instead had decided she loved her baby and it was final she was going to keep it. "Hello, Little One." She told it as it kicked; she put her hand on her tummy where it was kicking. "I love you! Mommy loves you. I will never give you up, I promise!"

* * *

The weeks it took to travel to the temple all the women traveled to when it was time to have their babies, went by quickly. But at the same time it felt like the landscape below passed so slowly. She didn't know all of it, but she did remember much of it from her travels to the Yangchan Festival from The Eastern Air Temple. She also remembered some of it from her travels to the Fire Nation with Amitaruci, the father of her baby.

Just thinking about him made her heart skip a beat and she felt like she was falling. She smiled at the wonderful sensation. She was so confused about Amitaruci, she loved him dearly. He was always so kind and gentle and so concerned about her, she thought he loved her too... But if he did why would he just leave her like that? She needed to talk to him. She needed to tell him how she felt, how much she loved him. Maybe he will say he loved her too, and then they could be a happy family, stay together and raise their baby together. She imagined a happy family, her and Amitaruci... and their baby, maybe three or four beautiful children. They could teach them their Airbending forms, teach them to be the leaf, teach them to sore peacefully through the skies.

On her trip she passed over Roku's Island, it was a small island but was spotted easily by the huge smoking volcano on it. Anila remembered the special celebration she and Amitaruci attended there, it was Avatar Roku's birthday and she had had so much fun that day. She got to see The Avatar; he even gave them respectful bows. She doubted she would ever get a chance to see The Avatar again in her entire life.

* * *

"We're almost there Chesa; we're almost to the hidden temple." Anila told her sky bison as she spotted the small island the temple was on. Both Amitaruci and her mother had given her directions on how to get to the Western Air Temple, to look for the great chasm, the temple would be in that great chasm. They had both told her it was a magnificent sight to behold; it even had a giant Pai Sho board and all.

About an hour later she saw the chasm and flew down it. It truly was a magnificent sight, all the buildings were carved into the earth, all of them hung upside down. There were stairs and bridges everywhere. Anila saw women walking around with infants in slings or in their arms, some with them holding on to their mother's fingers, learning to walk. When she landed Chesa on a huge platform with giant statues of female Airbenders she was meet by a cheerful young nun, maybe only a few years older than herself. She had a board with some paper on it and a brush and inkwell.

"Welcome to the Western Air Temple." The nun said cheerfully. "We are happy to provide you with everything you need! May I ask you your name and age, for our records? We keep track of every birth, both the Mother and The father's names. These records are sent to all the temple so that they know who each child belongs to."

"I'm Anila, I'm 16… I'll be 17 in a couple months." Anila told the young woman.

"It is wonderful to meet you Anila!" The nun said making a few marks with the brush. "We can get the rest of the information from you later. If you will follow me, please, I'll show you to your new home for the duration of your stay with us!" They walked through the temple, upstairs and over bridges finally arriving at the door to a small room. "This will be your room! We have nuns on duty at all times; if you need something just ask the women at the desk just down the hall. If you have any questions, they can assist you as well."

"Thank you very much." Anila said with a smile. After the young woman left Anila looked around her room, where there was a bed, a closet, a few tables, one with a couple chairs at it, and an adorable rocking cradle for the baby. Through a door she found a bathroom.

As Anila was exploring her room, a woman came into her room. "Hello Anila, I'm Sister Nele. I will be the midwife in charge of your care and the baby's birth, my room is just a few doors down so no matter what time you go into labour I'll be right here. As a new arrival we need to check you over and ask you a few questions. Let's take a seat."

"Ok." Anila said to Sister Nele.

Sister Nele began asking her questions, questions about when she got pregnant, who the father was, where she was from. "Ok, Anila, this is going to be very uncomfortable for me to do but I need to measure your belly and check you over, so we will know how much long you have until your delivery. Please lay on the bed."

After the nun checked Anila over, she told Anila that she still had a few weeks to go. After everything that needed to be done was done Anila walked down to the dinning haul to eat. Seeing that she was new they gave her a Welcome Basket, it had fruit and cookies and small pot of cheese curds as well as a couple loafs of bread. "You can come down and we will fill your basket anytime you need us to." One nun from the kitchen told her.

* * *

A few days later, Anila was woken suddenly, struck by an intense wave of pain in the abdomen. "Aaaaaahhhhhh!" she cried, the pain so unbelievably bad that she couldn't help but cry out.

A nun came rushing into the room, "I need to check you!" As the nun was checking Anila, her water broke and she cried out again. "The baby is coming" the nun told her.

"But..." Anila grimaced at the pain, she was scared, "But… Sister Nele said I still had a couple more weeks! Is something wrong?"

"No, Anila. Not that I can see, it looks like the baby wants to come now." The nun comforted her. "I'll be right back I need to get Sister Nele and a few more nurse nuns to help us. This is a birthing place we all already know what to do, and we are always prepared for the birth of a new Air Nomad." The nurse left the room but returned not five minutes later with Sister Nele and three more nuns. Two with white cloth folded and stacked nicely in their arms and the third with a tray with a pot, and some other metal items on it as well. They quickly readied Anila for the delivery of her baby.

Without them knowing, outside the delivery room, the sky in the Fire Nation became dark, a volcano was spewing molten Earth and poisons gasses in the Fire Nation covering the moon with ash. People from the volcano's Island were running away in fear for their lives, while they saw their home getting erased from Earth's face.

"Not much longer now... It will be time to push soon." Sister Nele told Anila.

Another pain wave hit her body with the start of a contraction, producing a choked cry from a very frightened Anila; she wasn't ready for this, not yet. She doubled over as the intense pain struck her again.

In the Fire Nation, one old woman stood amongst all the people. Her worried gaze never left the volcano peak, because deep within her, she knew she would never again see the love of her life, the man she had shared a lifetime with… 'Oh Roku… why did you have to stay and try to fix this… please dear be safe for me and your children… please don't die on me.'

That was her last though when she saw a red dragon, Roku's dragon Fang, fly to the volcano's pit before a sudden chain of great explosions shook the depths of the earth and a lava flow covered the entire island surface, followed by the deafening silence of death…

The woman fell to her knees crying her eyes out while her family embraced her with love and affection.

At the same instant, after an agonizing labour's hour had passed in the Western Air temple, a last piercing cry of pain from the young woman's lips tore the silence of the night and, a few minutes after, it was responded by the sound of a baby's wailing filling the birth room….

"It's a boy", announced the midwife nun while she handed the new mom a little male baby. Anila cuddled her newly born son between her arms detailing all his features with a gaze full of love and adoration.

"Do you have a name for him yet?" the midwife asked Anila, cutting the umbilical cord and massaging her lower abdomen to wait for placental expulsion.

"Yes", Anila answered softly, still mesmerized by the beautiful baby in her arms, who had started to nurse on his mother's breast milk.

"His name is Aang... peaceful soaring... Soar my tiny one, soar." Anila told him as she gently brushed the back of her index finger over his soft little red cheek.

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	13. Chapter 12: Friends Forever!

**I have absolutely nothing to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon **

**Chapter 12**

The nuns had all left the room after the delivery and clean up. Anila couldn't help but stare down at the chunk little boy in her arms, wrapped in the blankets her mother had helped her to make, who just a few days ago was inside her, hiccuping, kicking, moving so much. He had a round little face, as she studied him she saw her hair and eyes. Amitaruci's beard was brown, and his eyes were brown. But Aang, their baby boy, had her black hair and grey eyes. "Aang." She said softly "I love you, my little one and I always will." His eyelids grew heavy as he filed his tiny tummy; Anila sang to him the songs her mother used to sang to her.

There was a knock at her door and then one of the nurses entered the room. "He's beautiful," she said to the young new mom as she checked to make sure everything was okay. "He was born smiling, and if I didn't know better I'd say he glowed for a moment... it must have just been the light from the moon." Then the nurse brought Anila some water and fluffed the girl's pillows. "Goodnight Anila." Said the woman as she got out of the room.

After Aang had fallen asleep, Anila put him into the rocking cradle then went to her window. When she looked out the window, there was no light from the moon to be seen at all, and the entire sky was dark. She turned back to the tiny baby in the cradle, 'He glowed for a moment? ... It must have just been the light from the moon?... But, there is NO moonlight and the sky is completely black.' Anila thought as her attention returned to the tiny baby in the cradle. He captivated her; he was the most wonderful thing she had ever created. Anila was exhausted; she lay down and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

* * *

Anila was awoken only a couple hours later by the cries of her newborn baby. As she retrieved him from the cradle, the nurse came back in and she taught Anila how to wrap the baby up nice and tight after changing his diaper. Anila was happy that she had learned how to hold a baby, when she held Li's baby Kuzon in the Fire Nation. "You look so beautiful with a baby in your arms, Anila." Had said Amitaruci. Why did he act like he cared so much about her? If he did, how could he have just up and left her all alone?

Anila was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of her baby. She looked down at him; he was looking up at her face, almost as if he was studying her as much as she had studied him. "Hello little one! Are you all better now?" she said smiling down at him as she watched him he smiled up at her.

The next afternoon Anila took her baby outside; she never liked being cooped up inside, it always drove her crazy, she NEEDED to be outside. She hummed to him as she sat down on one of the many benches. The sky was smoky, and gray... It smelled of ash.

"Hello!" A young woman not much older than Anila, had come over and sat down next to the younger, she had a little girl in her arms that was teething on a wooden toy. "Hi! I haven't seen you around before!" the young woman said with a smile on her face.

"I just got here yesterday." Anila quietly told the young woman.

"You cut it close didn't you?" She said as she looked down at the tiny baby in Anila's arms.

"Not really, the Midwife said I had at least three weeks to go, but he came suddenly last night." Anila said mesmerized by her baby's eyes.

"I'm Karma, and this beautiful little girl is Sonam, she's almost a year old!" The young woman told Anila again with a smile on her face.

"I'm Anila, and this little one is Aang. It's nice to meet you." Anila said with a smile.

"He was just born last night and you are already up and walking around! It took me almost a week before I wanted to walk around." Karma said.

"I have a hard time staying inside. Staying in one place for too long. I have to be outside, I always feel better when I'm outside." Anila told her.

"Not me, I like staying in one place. The only traveling I do is to the Yangchan Festival and back. I think I'll be happy to settle at one of the temples and become a Nun. I'm only eighteen but I would much prefer it." Karma said as she set Sonam down on the ground. The little girl took a few steps then sat down and resumed chewing on her toy. "May I?" Karma asked holding her hands out towards Anila and her baby.

"Oh... uuummm, sure." Anila smiled and handed the young woman Aang.

"Oh, he is so beautiful! He looks just like you, Anila." Karma said as she looked into Aang's eyes. "Are you happy that you have a baby?"

"Yes, I'm very happy." Anila was, too. There was something about Karma that made Anila feel comfortable, relaxed. Anila was happy; she had just made a new friend. "I am happy to have met you... I don't know many people, and I was worried that I wouldn't know anyone here."

"Well I am happy to be your friend!" Karma said with a smile.

* * *

Anila and Karma spent a lot of time together, getting to know each other over the last couple weeks. Karma was one of the girls that were raised right there at the Western Air Temple and because of that she knew and understood that some women needed a friend, someone to talk to. Anila was one of those young women, and Karma knew it right away. Today, they were in the garden sitting on a bench while their kids were taking a nap.

"Did you hear?" Karma said to Anila, she was excited about something

"Did I hear what?" Anila asked, confused.

"The volcano on Avatar Roku's Island erupted. The entire Island was covered over!" Karma told her.

"Oh no! I stopped there once. They were having a birthday celebration for him, a parade and fireworks!" Anila said as she thought of that last stop before she and Amitaruci had gotten to his hidden paradise in the Fire Nation. "I actually got to see him... Was anyone hurt or killed?"

Karma looked heartbroken for a moment, "Only one person... Avatar Roku."

"Oh that is so sad!" Anila responded in shock.

"Don't you know what this means?" Karma said excitedly again.

"No, I'm not sure what is exciting about the Avatar dying." Anila told her.

"It means that the new Avatar was born here sometime in the last few weeks! After Fire is Air!" Karma told Anila.

"Wow, really?" Anila said as she scanned the temple and all the women that had recently had babies. "So the new Avatar is here somewhere. That is exciting!" Anila told Karma.

* * *

A full month had passed and Anila and Karma were best friends they were even talking about traveling to the upcoming Yangchan Festival together.

"I've taken the trip from here many times it only takes a week at most." Karma was telling Anila as they were working out the final details of their trek.

"I love traveling but I hate being alone! I'm so excited to be traveling with you Karma! Maybe we will stay friends forever!" Anila giggled.

"That would be so wonderful Anila!" Karma said also laughing.

"I can't wait to introduce my guardian to Aang. She will be so happy to meet him. And his father… his father really wanted to meet him at this year's Yangchan festival! he'll be so happy!" Anila said excited about the Yangchan Festival to come. Just thinking about seeing Amitaruci made her stomach flutter and her head to get dizzy, good thing she was sitting down.

"Sonam's father only spent a few minutes with her last year. He had his eye set on some girl that had just barely turned sixteen. I hope you have a better time with your baby's father than I did with mine." Karma said. "Oh well... That's the life of a breeder I guess. I wasn't sure I wanted to have any babies, I always just wanted to stay here and help the women that were having babies."

"You enjoy helping women don't you?" Anila asked as they sat near the gravity fountain, Sonam liked to splash in the water.

"Yeah I always felt it was my calling. I never planned to breed at all, really." Karma said.

"So why did you?" Anila asked; she really enjoyed talking with Karma.

"Well," Karma shook her head for a second, "He was so nice... So kind. He made me smile, he knew all the words to say to make me feel special, to make me feel important to him. He was so tall and so handsome... I could barely think. He devoted all his attention to me, he set up his camp next to mine. Then... on the last day he asked me..." Karma blushed bright red, "He asked me to stay with him during the fall and winter."

Anila started to feel sick to her stomach, Karma's story sounded too much like her own, WAY TOO MUCH like her own. "What... What did you say his name was?" Anila asked nervously.

"Oh, I never told you! I'm sorry! His name is Amitaruci." Karma said to her.

All of a sudden Anila started to cough, she felt like she was going to throw up. "I'm not feeling well, I'm sorry Karma, I think... I think I need to go lay down for a bit... I'm sorry."

"Oh okay Anila, do you want my help walking back to your room? You do look a bit green all of a sudden." Karma asked her friend worriedly.

"No, I can make it there on my own... Thank you for the offer." Anila said with a fake half smile.

As soon as Anila got back to her room she felt sick, she thought she was special, that Amitaruci cared for her. Than Anila started to feel horrible, SHE was the reason Amitaruci only spent a few minutes with Sonam. She had to leave, to think... there was nothing she could say to Karma to feel less guilty, the more she thought about everything Karma said the more insulted she felt, she felt so angry at him as well at herself. Anila decided to leave in the morning, so she started getting her's and Aang's stuff together, packing it all, seeing Karma and Sonam again would tear at her heart.

The next morning just after the sun had begun to rise, after one of Aang's feedings she grabbed their bags and went to get Chesa. As Anila was tying everything down in the saddle she hears Karma's voice full of sorrow. "Anila wait! Why are you leaving without me and Sonam? Why? What did I say? I don't understand you Anila. I thought you said we would be best friends forever."

"I'm sorry, Karma… I'm sorry I can't tell you... I'm sorry I can't stay... I have to go... I'm so sorry!" Anila was crying so much, her sight was blurred by the tears soaking her cheeks. She took her seat on Chesa's head, avoiding to look her friend's sad face and called out to her "Chesa Yip, yip!"

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	14. Chapter 13: Going Home

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Anila was bombarded by a barrage of emotions. She felt guilty that Sonam only spent a few minuts with her father, because all Amitaruci was concerned with was her. She was angry and it hurt to know that she was just a pursuit for him nothing more.

Sonam wasn't even a full year older that Aang. Why did he act like he cared so much about her? What did he want from her? It had hit her that Amitaruci didn't care about HER, he cared about the fact that she was so young, barely old enough to be on her own. He had done the same exact thing to Karma that he had done to her. She was crying, out right sobbing... How could someone be so cruel as to do this to young girls? He was a horrible person, his looks and charm were very nice, but inside his heart and lust was black as Anila's hair.

* * *

The only thing Anila could think clearly about was where to go. She was going to go see her mother, the only person who had ever been able to make her feel better when she was upset. When the other girls picked on her or were mean to her.

In his sling, tied securely to his mother's chest, Aang started to cry. "Oh, my little one, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." She hopped into Chesa's saddle and pulled him out of the sling. "I know, you're hungry and need a diaper change." She kissed his round little cheek, once his diaper was changed she sang to him as she fed him. He didn't fall asleep after he was finish he just made sweet little cooing sounds and gave her big smiles. His storm cloud gray eyes had a silver ring around the gray.

Her little boy was a silver lining to her storm of emotion, because no matter what she would always have him. She loved him so much, now he was her world, her life, nothing else mattered. She was going to follow through with her promise, to take Aang to see his father... But if he did to Aang what he did to Sonam he would be in so much trouble and pain. You don't treat your children like that, some of the Air Nomad traditions were just not right, totally against human nature.

* * *

Chesa brought Anila home, the Eastern Air Temple, quickly... or at least it felt fast. She devoted all her attention to her baby boy. When he was sleeping she meditated, clearing her mind of all the negative feelings that were making her feel heavy. "Look, little one." she said holding him up so he could see. "We're almost home! You will get to meet your grandmother. She said she wanted to meet you, to hold you." The Eastern Air Temple was still about half an hour away but she could see it.

As Chesa landed everyone came out to great her, as they all wanted to see the baby so bad. Anila said as loudly as she could, so everyone around her could hear. "This is Aang! He is a month and a half old, and I wanted to bring him here to meet all my friends."

Sister Dolkar smiled and then announced that they would be having a special dinner tonight to welcome Anila and Aang to the temple. Anila hopped down and within moments all of her and Aang's belonging were unloaded by the girls at the temple and were all on their way to Anila's room.

Once everything had settled down, Sister Opame hugged her daughter tightly, "I am so happy to see you, to see this little one!" Anila handed the smiling little boy to his grandmother. "He is beautiful my daughter. He looks so much like you did when you were a baby. I'm proud to be a grandmother!"

After the baby was fed and changed, it was time for both he and his mother to take a nice nap.

That afternoon, Anila had a nightmare. She dreamed she was Karma, and that she brought her baby to her father. He looked down at the new born baby girl, he didn't even touch her or anything. He just said "I'm happy she's a healthy new air nomad. We're done Karma. I have more important things to think about. Goodbye " She saw as he turned and walked away from her and the baby. The scene changed suddenly, and Anila looked over to where he was going to see herself there smiling at all the kind men that were introducing themselves to her. She Karma, held the fussy baby in her arms, as she watched sadly Amiratuci flirting with Anila, he never gave the baby another look.

Anila woke up startled to a crying baby, "Okay, little one, I'm coming." She told him as she calm down and got herself up from her nap. She hummed as she feed him but the only thing that she could think of was how sad Karma must have felt. Anila knew Amitaruci didn't spend another moment with Sonam, because after that meal he never left her side.

"Anila? Are you awake? It's almost time to go down for your special dinner." Sister Opame asked as she knocked on the door to Anila's room.

"Yes I'm awake moth- Sister Opame. Aang just woke up for a feeding, after he's done I'll wash up and we can walk down together." Anila told her mother, who retreated quietly leaving her alone with her baby.

"Did you hear that? It's almost time for our special dinner, well Mommy's special dinner. Everyone will want to see you and hold you my special little boy." She talked to him as she got him ready for her special dinner.

The special dinner was wonderful, everyone was excited to see and hold the newborn baby boy. Hardly anyone has ever returned home after leaving to be on their own, and only once or twice that Anila could remember that someone brought a baby with them.

Days turned to weeks and Anila's seventeenth birthday came up on them and they had another special party and feast for her.

* * *

Before Anila knew it, it was time once again for the Yangchan Festival. Anila and Chesa, along with the girls that Anila had once tutored, with Sister Dolkar's permission, traveled to the festival grounds with the group. When they finally reached their destination Anila set up her camp with theirs, these girls and women were her family and she loved them, even Sister Dolkar.

During her many hours of meditation, she had reached the conclusion that leaving the Western Air Temple the way she did was wrong. She should have told Karma what was affecting her. She should have stayed, but back then she felt so horrible that leaving was the only thing she could think to do.

She had to look for Karma and Sonam, she needed to apologize for leaving like she did. First, Aang in sling, she walked down to the water pond and filled the water pouch that no longer held any special meaning to her, it was just a water pouch now; then she went out looking for the women from the Western Air Temple and for Karma. Anila had the hood of her orange cloak pulled over her head and had it fastened in the front, she was not ready to see Amitaruci yet, she needed to talk to Karma first.

While she was walking around, looking for Karma, she caught a glimpseof HIM. Just seeing him made her furious. She pulled her hood down farther over her face and held her cloak closed over Aang in his sling, from the inside. She was on a mission and HE could wait.

Just over a grassy hill Anila spotted the very large group of women and their babies and young children. Anila took a deep breath then walked into the camp. She asked a few women she had met while she stayed at the temple to where she could find Karma. They all kindly pointed her in the direction of the back edge of their camp grounds.

Karma was sitting on the ground playing with Sonam when Anila walked up. "I need to speak with you." Anila said removing her hood. "I need to tell you I'm so sorry for leaving like I did... I... I was hurt and confused and angry... and ashamed, so ashamed."

"Anila! I'm so happy to see you again!" Karma said giving Anila a light hug and looking down into Aang's face. "He is so beautiful Anila and he has grown a lot since the last time I saw him."

"You're not mad at me?" Anila was so surprised at Karma's greeting.

"No! I'm not mad, not at all. Why would you think I would be?" She was such a sweet and kind young woman.

"Because it was my fault…" Anila hung her head in shame. "It was my fault Sonam didn't get to spend some time with her father..."

Karma looked at Anila, as she was very confused, and she didn't understand what Anila meant. Anila opened her cloak and pulled Aang out of his sling. "Karma... Aang is Sonam's half brother... I'm so sorry. I... I didn't know what to do or say to you. With the way he acted, what he said, what he did... it made me feel like he really cared about me. But then you said he did the same thing to you. I needed to talk to you... to tell you that I'm sorry." Anila was crying so hard as she poured out her heart to the young woman.

Karma smiled sadly and took Anila's hand. "It wasn't YOUR fault Anila... He's the one who chose to do what he did. I would really like to be your friend again."

"Really? You're not mad at me?" Anila asked while she dryed her tears.

"No, not at all. I got over it... Good luck at introducing Aang to him... I hope he doesn't do the same thing to Aang that he did to Sonam." Karma said.

"I'm not going to let him." Anila told Karma. "And with a bit of help from you... He's not going to be able to do what he did to us to another girl for quite a while."

"I would be happy to help!" Karma said.

"Well Karma, the plan is this…" Anila whispered to Karma in a mischievous tone

* * *

The morning of the festival arrived and the ceremony began; Anila and Karma, best friends once again, stayed together. Anila kept her cloak and hood on, she watched Amitaruci closely. She could tell he had his eye on a brown-haired girl not much younger than herself, he stood close to her, put his hand on her shoulder, he said things that made her smile and blush. Anila grew furious, he was going to do it again... He was going to take what he wanted then just leave. Anila showed Karma what she saw.

"We could always go say 'Hi'." Karma said.

"Yes, that would be lovely." Anila said with a wicked smile. "Let's let him sit down with her, let him get comfortable first."

"Anila, you truly are wicked." Karma laughed.

After a little while everyone was settled and starting to eat. Amitaruci was smiling and laughing at this new girl. Anila removed her cloak and set it down next to her mother.

"Ready?" She asked Karma.

"Definitely!" Karma said.

Anila lead the way over to HIM, Karma following behind. She had caught his eye and his smile faded. Then he saw Karma with Anila and his happy expression turned into one of sheer terror.

* * *

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	15. Chapter 14: Meet Daddy

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

Chapter 14

"We need to talk to you. I will gladly talk here but you might want to find a more private place." Anila told him. Amitaruci swallowed hard then coughed a couple times, his mouth and throat went dry. "Do you need a drink?" Anila asked him dropping the water pouch he had given her on the ground in front of him. The pouch poped open as soon as it hit the ground splashing it's content all over him. "Oh poor you."

"It spilled all over you." Karma said digging into her pocket and pulled out a yellow piece of cloth tossing it at him "Here, use this old rag to clean up, you can keep it I was just going to throw it away anyways." He grabbed the cloth an opened it up. It was a handkerchief that had a beautifully embroidered red A on it. He had given it to Karma just after her morning sickness started.

Anila turned to the girl with him. "Would you please, excuse us."

"Excuse me… Who are you? He was having lunch with ME." The girl snapped back.

"Oh sweetie, let me guess... did you just turn sixteen? Barely old enough to be on your own?... Did he tell you, you are special? That you are very beautiful?"as Anila asked, her tone was steadily growing sharper.

"What if he did? Why should you care?" The girl had not noticed the baby in its sling, nestled happily against its mother's chest.

"To be honest, I really don't care what he does. I was simply coming over so I could introduce Amitaruci to his son." Anila looked over to Karma.

"And his daughter would surely enjoy more than two seconds with him as well." Karma added snarkily. With Anila by her side, Karma felt braver and stronger.

"Whatever... How do you know they're even his?" The girl retorted angrily.

"Oh honey, are you really that naive?" Anila was getting angry at this stupid girl and her voice level was on the rise. "Sweet little, beauitiful Sonam, got no time with her daddy because he was too concerned about getting under my skirt to show any interest in her."

Anila was starting to draw the attention of many people as she yelled. "Anila, please calm down…people are starting to stare." Amitaruci tried to calm her down.

"What are you going to do to make me stop? Kiss me again?! No!" Anila was the center of attention now, everyone watching the loud argument.

"What happened to you? You were so sweet and shy..." Amitaruci, whose face was of absolute terror, has just started to talk when Anila cut him off

"…and innocent? You! That's what happened to me. Make me feel like you truly cared about me, that I meant something to you 'I'd never hurt you.'... Then first day of spring, what do I get? I get a 'You're very special to me' and a 'You mean a lot to me and you always will' before you left me alone and very pregnant ..." Anila didn't wait Amitaruci to recover from his speech and continued talking.

"I didn't mean anything to you, you didn't want me you just wanted my innocence. You did the exact same thing to Karma! She never wanted to breed, but you made her feel special. She may be sweet and reserved but I'm not and you know it. You told me you looked forward to seeing me and OUR baby at this year festival! You are supposed to spend the day with your babies... I've been here for two days now... I've been watching you and you never once even tried to look for me, to see your son!"Anila was panting at the end of her rant.

"Can you please stop yelling?" He asked standing up in front of her.

"I told you you may want to go somewhere private... but you were too into collecting another girl's innocence." Anila snapped and turned to the said girl, who was trying to hide in embarrasment. "One that in my opinion, needs to have some sense slapped into her."

Anila's yelling had upset her baby boy, he began to cry. "Oh, I'm so sorry, my tiny one, hush hush now. We will go sit down and make everything all better." She said as she pulled him out of his sling and started to rock and sway with him. She gave Amitaruci an angry look, "We will finish this later... I am far from done with you... You should thank you son for interrupting me, otherwise I'd still be yelling at you." She said in the same tone she had just spoken to the baby in.

Karma and Anila walked to a shady area and sat down. After she changed Aang's diaper and feed him, he drifted off to sleep sucking on his tiny fingers.

Anila was hurting dearly inside as she leaned against a tree trunk and closed her eyes. She bit down on her lip, to hold in the sobs that threatened to escape, she bit so hard she tasted blood. Tear tracks streaked down her cheeks and her heart ached so bad... not for herself this time, but for the tiny one in her arms. She had already faced the fact that she didn't mean anything to Amitaruci, but their baby, Aang, should have, and that hurt more than anything Amitaruci could ever say or do to her.

Karma saw Anila's sadness, so she set Sonam down on the grass and wrapped her arms around Anila, holding her brave, but broken best friend, trying to comfort her. Karma held her tightly as Anila's body began to shake hard as she silently sobbed.

A few of the higher up Munks and Nuns had all seen what had just happened, they pulled Amitaruci off to the side and STRONGLY suggested that he follow the teachings the way he's supposed to and spend the day with the young children he fathered. And if he forgets which are his, well that's why they keep the records. If he did not, they would reprimand him.

Sonam toddled away from her mommy while she was trying to console Anila. "Ummm... I... I found her wondering away... Uuummmm Sonam you said her name was." Both girls looked up to see Amitaruci holding Sonam in his arms while she happily chewed on her wooden sky bison toy.

"Why did you come over here? Just leave like you did the first day of spring, and leave both of us, me and MY baby alone!" Anila snapped at him.

"I want to see him." Amitaruci said.

"Why do you care now?" Anila was not going to let it up.

"I'm sorry... You are right, this is about him. May I please hold him?" He asked Anila as he sat down across from her.

Anila handed him the baby "His name is Aang and he is about two and a half months old."

As soon as the baby was nestled in his arms he began to cry. "Uuummmm... do you need to change him or feed him? Why is he crying?"

Anila eyed him suspiciously as he held the baby. "He shouldn't need to I just did all that." Anila took her baby back and he immediately quieted down looking up into his Mommy's eyes. "He's just fine."

Amitaruci put his hands out and took the baby again... and again he started to cry. This little interaction went on for a few minutes. "Just hold him; you have to calm him yourself." Anila told him

Amitaruci tried to bounce and shush the baby boy, who only got louder.

Anila started to notice a pattern, the baby didn't seem to like his father at all. His cries became even louder, wind started to blow. The madder this little boy got the windier it got. At one point several airbenders had tried to control the air currents around the festival grounds but it was no use the windstorm just got worse.

"We need to move inside!" Karma yelled over the wind.

"Okay." Anila yelled back. She reached for the baby and as soon as he was snuggled warmly in his mothers arms and he stopped screaming the horrible wind storm stopped.

Everyone in the field was trying to figure out where the strange wind had come from and how it stopped just as suddenly as it started. Anila looked down at the baby in her arms, that had never happened before, she hardly ever heard him cry except for when he was hungry or need a diaper change. Amitaruci looked at the baby then at his mother suspiciously.

"What?" She asked.

"That was him! That storm was created by HIM!" Amitaruci said.

"Let's go back to your tent Anila." Karma said helping Anila up then picking Sonam up. They walked quickly to Anila's tent and closed themselves inside.

"Ummm Anila... do you remembered what we talked about a couple months ago? About Avatar Roku dying and one of the babies born at the western Air Temple would be the next Avatar... Well I think just maybe... what if... What if your baby is the Avatar?" Karma spluttered.

Anila thought Karma was insane. "No, not Aang... He can't be... No he's not the Avatar. You are crazy."

"But, you said he was born eayrly! The Volcano on Roku's Island erupted THAT night." Karma reminded Anila.

"But... no! NO! Not Aang! He's special but not Avatar special he's just my happy little boy." Anila held her baby tighter, afraid someone was going to snatch him right out of her arms. "You can't tell anyone Karma... Please don't... I decided when I was pregnant that I was going to keep him... To teach him myself. If... If he's the Avatar they will take him away from me. I love my baby, I can't lose him." Anila pleaded with her friend. "Please don't say anything, Karma... A secret between you and me... Okay?"

Karma knew that it would kill Anila if she said anything to anyone about what she and Anila had just talked about. "I promise, Anila... I promise I will never say anything... I... We... Sonam and I can travel with you... We can keep our babies and raise them and teach them ourselves, Anila... You and Aang and me and Sonam... I love Sonam, I was just afraid to say it out loud. Thank you for helping me be stronger"

"We can travel together." Anila said smiling at her best friend.

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	16. Chapter 15: Leave Us Alone!

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

**Chapter 15**

The festival was over and Anila was packing up her tent, Aang happily laying on one of his blankets eating his tiny fist and cooing. The festival grounds were near empty today, except for a few tents that were being taken down like hers. Karma had gone to get hers and Sonam's belongings. She also went to tell the Nuns that she had decided to travel with Anila, but she would be back soon. She was up on Chesa's saddle tying everything down when she heard Aang fuss for a second, she had expected to see Karma coming with her belongings but Karma was NOT who was approaching. Anila narrrowed her eyes and jumped down landing softly next to her baby, she leaned over and collected him into her arms. "What do you want?!" She said to Amitaruci in disgust.

"I want to talk to you... I want to see him." Amitaruci said trying to sound charming. "He is very powerful! I know it was him that created that bad wind storm... When was he born exactly?"

"I told you, he's two and a half months old... He came three weeks eairlyer than he was supposed to... but he's fine... just fine." Anila told Amitaruci as calmly as she could, anger bubbling inside her.

"I want to hold him, please." he told her as he mentally calculated baby boy's birth time with Avatar Roku's death.

"What's his name?" Anila asked him, she doubted he would even remember what they had decided on.

He was caught off guard by the question. "Uuuummmmm..."

"His name is not uuummmmm!" She snapped at him. "We talked about this... Did you even mean anything you said to me? I... I let you... I let you do things to me because you said all those kind words, sweet gestures, and little gifts. Why? So you could have my innocence... Just another notch in your saddle horn? I was scared... I didn't know if I was ready for all that... You told me it would all be okay, that you would take care of me... well guess what, it's NOT all okay! It never will be! You acted like I was important to you... like you cared a lot about me..." Anila took a shaky breath, "You acted like you loved me…" She whispered as sheturned her back to him whipping her eyes with her sleeve.

"I do care about you Anila. I told you, you would always be one of my favorites." He said in his calm soothing voice, trying to get her to calm down, but it just made her more angry.

She whipped back around to look at him. "I wish I had never been stupid and naive enough to believe all those confusing words you used on me."

"I did mean..." He started to say Anila, just to be interrumped suddenly by her.

"Just go away and take that stupid girl to your 'Special place'!" Anila was so angry and hurt she was beyond any soothing try by Amitaruci's part.

"His name is Aang and he's the only good thing that came out of what you did to me! YOU said you wanted his name to start with an A like ours... I bet you forgot all about all that too. And... and what happened to 'I look forward to seeing you and our baby at the next Yangchan festival? You didn't ever try to look for me!"

"I did look but..." He started.

"You are full of it! I got here early... I saw when you got here! I saw you with that stupid girl!" Anila let out a small laugh. "I was the same stupid girl last year."

When Karma come up behind Amitaruci, she said as if he wasn't even there "I'm back, all my stuff is waiting to be loaded up by the Western Air Temple group, Sonam and I are ready to travel with you."

"Okay Karma, after I get all this tied down and dispose of the trash at my camp site we will go over there to pick up your belongings." Anila said as she gave the little baby to her dear friend, happy that she was no longer alone with Amitaruci.

He stood silently, watching as the two girls got everything loaded up, Karma holding both of the babies as Anila loaded up the saddle with the last of her belongings.

"I want to hold him!" Amitaruci said again reaching for the chunk baby boy.

Anila quickly jumped down and took her son into her arms, holding him protectively against her chest. "Why do you care now all of a sudden?' Anila yelled. "You don't even care one bit about you beautiful daughter, but you care about him! NO!"

"There's nothing special about her. I want to see him." He reached for the baby boy again.

"NO! How could you be so heartless!? Sonam is sweet and beautiful... She's your daughter that's what makes her special!" Anila yelled. "Step back! Don't even try to come any closer to all of us" She warned him.

The soft voice of Karma broke through the fight "Anila, it's okay... I'm fine with it all... Stop please."

"You're not fine with it! You told me how much he hurt you... You didn't even want to breed, but his words made you feel special... Then when you brought her to him, so he could spend some time with her, he didn't show any interest in her, what you said... He only spent two minutes with her... You are just too sweet to tell him how you feel... Well I'm not!" the wind started to pick up as Anila yelled.

"I got passed it all! I have a beautiful daughter that makes me happy... Sonam and I don't need him and neither do you or Aang... You and me... we are best friends, almost like sisters. You have me and I have you... and Aang and Sonam, they ARE siblings." Karma told her with a reasuring smile.

Amitaruci took this moment to take a few steps closer to Anila as Katma tried to calm her down. "Let me see him! He's my son too!" Amitaruci said, anger in his otherwise soothing voice.

"Stop!" Anila said dangerously calm, Aang had started to fuss. "He doesn't like you and neither do I!" She yelled as she sent out a powerful blast of air. It hit him in the chest and knocked him to the ground fifty feet away from where he was last standing. "You have no idea what I will do to protect him... you messed with the wrong 'beautiful one'!"

Amitaruci laid still, he had been hit so hard in the chest that he got the wind knocked out of him... he let out a soft wimper, his head and back hurt from the impact with the ground.

"Anila! Why did you do that?" Karma was both shocked and in awe over Anila.

"Because I won't let him hurt Aang the way he hurt Sonam!" She walked over to him, standing over him threateningly, as he laid on the ground in pain. "I only hit you once, I NEVER want to see you again! If I do, it will be a lot worse, you know I'm powerful, but you have no idea how powerful I actually am."

His whole body hurt but he managed to say "I do care, and I did mean everything I said to you."

"Whatever!" Anila said walking back to Karma. "Hi my little one! I'm not going to let the bad man hurt you. Mommy loves you too much to let anyone hurt you." She said as she took Aang from Karma. "Okay, Ready to go get your stuff?" Her whole demeanor went back to her regular happy sweet Anila again.

"Oh," Karma was a little surprised at the easy change in Anila. "Yeah, let's go." Both girls, babies in arms hopped up onto Chesa's head and went over to collect Karma's belongings, leaving Amitaruci laying on the ground, still whimpering.

* * *

"I'm going to miss you Karma." One of the nuns said to her. "Visit often, please."

"I will Sister. Anila and I have a great friendship, one like I never had before... We have more in common than you know!" Karma said with a laugh as Anila laughed also.

"Chesa and I will make sure she visits often Sister." Anila said as she secured all of Karma and Sonam's belongings in the saddle. "Ready?" Anila asked as she climbed out of the saddle and onto Chesa's head, reigns in hand.

"Yeah, I am." Karma said with a smile as she settled herself next to Anila on the bison's head. "Goodbye everyone... I will miss you all dearly."

"Goodbye!" Anila called out, too.

The group of Mother's and Nuns all waved as they called their goodbye's and be safe's.

"Yip, yip Chesa!" Anila called to her bison urging her into the sky. Anila turned to Karma and smiled. "I'm so happy you and Sonam are with us!"

"We are happy too. Where are we going to go first?" Karma asked with another smile of her own.

"Where would you like to go? We can go anywhere in the whole world." Anila said excitedly to Karma.

"Wow! Anywhere I want?... Oh, that's amazing, thank you so much Anila!" Karma sat quietly as she thought about where she wanted to go first. "Can we go to Kyoshi's Island? I always wanted to see the elephant Koy!"

"We will go to Kyoshi's Island and see the Elephant Koy then!" Anila said with a laugh as she steered Chesa southeast.

* * *

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take just a few seconds to leave me a review!**


	17. Chapter 16: Kyoshi's Island

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Anila and Karma found a beautiful camping spot to set up their tents; it was close to the beach, and it had lots of flowers for Anila to make hair wreaths to sell, like she had been taught. She was still very upset at what HE had done to her and Karma, but he did teach her how to survive on her own. Karma was watching the two babies while Anila, basket in hand, was off collecting flowers and food.

When Anila returned, humming, her basket was overflowing with flowers and fruits and nuts. "I got us lunch! Look at all the beautiful flowers I found! I can make wreaths to sell, for money for us." Anila was so happy she had Karma traveling with her. They were best friends, a sisterly bond, Anila never was that happy when she was on her own. As she ate her lunch, Anila was sorting the flowers she picked into small piles.

"Those are very beautiful flowers Anila!" Karma said as she fed little bites of fruit to her daughter.

"Can... can you make anything?"Anila asked Karma as she picked up her little boy and kissed him on the nose.

"I'm not very good at anything really... except babies, I love babies, I always have. I didn't want to have them, just take care of them."

"Well I think you are an awesome Mommy, and a great friend!" Anila told her.

Karma smiled, "Thank you Anila, I think you are awesome, too. I'm happy that I noticed you needed someone to talk to... you needed a friend."

"I'm happy you did too." Anila said to her best friend.

After they finished lunch Anila began to weave her flowers together; Karma watched, in amazement, at how quickly Anila's hands and fingers moved. She created one beautiful ring of flowers after another. Anila had used all her flowers in a matter of just a couple hours, producing a total of five wreaths.

"Ready to go into the village with me, to sell the wreaths?" Anila asked Karma as she tied her sling on and carefully put her beautiful little boy into it. There was a chilly breeze blowing so Anila also put her orange hooded cloak on fastening it closed over her baby to keep him warm as well.

"That sounds wonderful." Karma said with a smile, but she had a bit of a nervous look in her eyes. She tied her sling on and put Sonam in it, Sonam was in a sitting position facing her mother's chest.

The two girls took the main road from the beach into the small village. There was a beautifully painted statue of Avatar Kyoshi on a high pillar, she was facing the village, as if watching over her people, protecting them. Seeing the statue reminded Anila that no matter how much she denied it, her tiny one, the baby she loved so much, was most likely the next Avatar. Something she wished she could hide from the world, keeping him all to herself.

The small marketplace was bustling with people, all dressed in different shades of green. Anila scanned all the shops and stalls, looking for the best one to try and sell her wreaths at. She saw a small kiosk that sold fine hair accessories; Anila stood tall, confident, and walked up the woman by the cart. "Hello, I am looking to sell some flower wreaths I made."

The woman looked Anila and Karma over, staring at the blue tattoos on both girls' foreheads. "Let me see them." The woman said as if she they were unpleasant street rats standing in front of her.

Anila opened her basket and pulled out the beautiful wreaths, letting the woman examine each of them closely. "I made them just a few hours ago."

"Yes... they are fresh... uuummmm... hhhuuuummm... I'll pay you two silver pieces for them all." The woman said.

"I... I think I heard you wrong... Did you say two silver pieces for them all?" Anila was in shock and Karma was taken aback also.

"Yes, I said two for all." The woman said dryly.

"No." Anila said. "They are worth at least one silver each! If you won't give me a fair price... I'll... I'll take them to someone else."

"I sell the best hair accessories in this village, you will not be able to get anything more than I offered you."

"I need to buy food, two silver pieces isn't going to get enough for us." Anila was getting frustrated, this woman was trying to rip her off, trying to take advantage of Anila's young age.

"I guess I could give you three silver, since there are three of you." The woman told her.

"Three of us? My baby may only nurse right now but that means I need more for myself. I'm sorry but I need more than that!" The baby under her cloak began to fuss, so Anila pulled him out and cradled him in her arms. "Come on Karma maybe we can find someone else that might want to buy them. It's okay my tiny one, Mommy is trying to get some money for food." As the girls were walking back through the market place a woman saw the wreaths Anila had in the basket she was carrying.

"Excuse me?" A woman said from behind a cart. "I heard you talking with the hair woman... I can't offer you a silver piece for each wreath, but I can offer you goods in exchange... a fair trade. I sell all different kinds of goods. My husband is a farmer so I have lots of fruits and vegetables and eggs. My eldest son raises cattle, so I sell his dairy products; my daughter is a wonderful baker, so I have all different kinds of baked goods. Pick what you want and we will make a trade. You're baby is beautiful."

Anila smiled, "Thank you so much for trading with us. His name is Aang."

"Being a mother, I know the only way for that babe to get its nourishment is through you... May I hold him?" the woman asked.

"Yes." Anila passed her sweet little boy to the kind woman.

"Oh, he is very beautiful. Just look at those big grey eyes, there is much wisdom in them, he definitely has an old spirit." The woman said as she stared at the tiny boy in her arms. "This boy has greatness in him."

"You... you can see all that in his eyes?" Anila asked nervously.

"Don't worry sweetie, I won't tell anyone, I promise... Reading spirits is kind of a hobby of mine... Your little one will grow up to become a very powerful bender." The woman brushed the back of her fingers over his soft pudgy cheek as he yawned, then passed him back to his mother.

They made their trade; Anila knew the woman gave them much more than five silver pieces worth of food. As they left the village the woman bowed to Anila then turned and bowed to the painted woman on top of the pillar.

Anila was abnormally quiet on their walk back to camp; Karma could tell that what that woman said was eating at Anila. "You know... I think she's right... He was born the night Avatar Roku died Anila." Karma told her as they walked.

"I... I know... I don't want him to be... you know as well as I do that they will take him from me. I'll let him train when he is sixteen, I want to raise him and teach him airbending. I want him to know love, to feel love, to be loved in return! And eventually love a girl... If he knows love then maybe he won't be like his father... collecting girls' innocence."

"I promise you I will never tell anyone about him... everyone should know love Anila." Karma said. "I love my Sonam with all of my being."

"When we get to camp, I'm going to lay down for a nap with Aang, I'm tired." Anila said. She had a lot on her mind ever since Aang created that storm that not even several master airbenders could calm.

"Okay, I'll see you when you wake up." Karma told Anila with a smile.

* * *

Anila awoke from her nap and crawled out of her tent, she found Karma carving on a piece of wood as she cooked vegetable stew for their dinner. "Hi Anila! I hope you had a nice nap, I made us dinner."

"What is that?" Anila was refering to the small piece of wood in Karma's hands.

"Oh, it's nothing really... Sonam needs a new toy, I can't find her last one, I think she dropped it."

"Karma you made all those toys Sonam is always chewing on?" Anila was surprised, she had no clue Karma had been the one that carved all the cute little toys for Sonam.

"It's nothing, really... Just something I do for fun." Karma looked embarrased.

"They are wonderful! You could sell them!" Anila said excitedly.

"No... They're nothing... You're amazing, your wreaths are beautiful and you are a great airbender. I'm just... just Karma."

"I could teach you to Airbend better! I got my tattoos just about when I turned fourteen... I tutored girls, I can teach you too."

"No... I'm fine... I never got the hang of it, that's why I never do it." Karma said shyly.

"Pleas Karma, will you at least let me try to teach you? I'm a great teacher, I never yell or say mean things. Please Karma, airbending is wonderful." Anila was letting her words be filled with her joy for airbending.

"Promise you won't yell?" Karma asked nervously. "Or laugh at me?"

"I promise you I won't yell or laugh at you... Not once." Anila answered confidently.

* * *

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, would you please take a second to leave me a review! Thank you so very much**!


	18. Chapter 17: Taking Flight

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"Okay, Karma let me see what you can do." Anila told her new student.

"I'm not good at it at all Anila." Karma said, as she took a starting stance, she pushed her arms outward pushing the air around her outward. It was not much more than a light breeze. "See, I told you." She shook her head. "I'm not any good at all... I don't have any strength or power behind it."

Anila stood quietly chewing on her thumbnail for a few minutes, Karma was feeling nervous. Anila smiled, "Your stance could use some work, we will deal with that later. Your movements need to be more fluid, the wind is not jerky it flows around and through obstacles. You need to see it in your mind, envision it flowing from your heart, through your body, and exiting from the palms of your hands, SEE it exiting your hands. I want you to sit with me and close your eyes... Close your eyes and breath."

Both girls sat down in the middle of a grassy field. Anila began to lead Karma through breathing exercises, she spoke softly, her voice was steady and calming. "Slowly, in and out... in and out. Feel it being drawn into your nose, feel it filling your lungs... Feel it being pushed out as your diaphragm pushes on your lungs, feel the air as it lightly exits between your lips."

Aang was sleeping snuggly in a blanket nest nearby and Sonam toddled around, not straying far from her mother.

"Now I want you to SEE it. Close your eyes and see the air all around you being drawn into you your body, see it fill your lungs, see it being pushed out by your diaphragm, see it pass through your lips." Anila told Karma as she did exactly what she told her friend to do. "See it swirling around, constantly moving... It doesn't just stop when it is blocked by an obstacle, it finds a path; big or small; wide or narrow and continues on its way... Constantly changing and moving."

Anila stood back up, "Keep going, I'll come back in a little bit." Then she went and started making their lunch. When everything was ready for their lunch, including soft cut up fruit for Sonam, Anila collected Karma. "Lunch time."

Karma opened her eyes and smiled, "I feel different... I feel good. No one ever had me do that, they just kind of expected it to come naturally."

"Back at the Eastern Air Temple I tutored girls that it didn't come natural to, they had to be taught slightly different from all the others. I can feel everything; I can feel everything from slight disturbances in the air around me to an incoming storm. I am so in tune that I can almost see the air move." Anila told Karma as they began eating their lunch.

"Really!?" Karma was surprised. "You said you were very powerful... you truly are."

"I got my tattoos right before I turned fourteen, I knew ALL the forms for a while before they decided to let me have them." Anila told Karma.

"You are amazing Anila!" The brunette girl said. "I know this will sound funny, but I always felt that I was out of my element... Like I shouldn't have been a bender at all"

"No sweetie, you just need to be taught in a way you will understand... How is your gliding?" Anila asked.

"I... well I can glide but I am afraid I'm going to fall right out of the sky." Karma was breathing faster and her heart began pounding in her chest, the thought of gliding scared her. She had had an accident right after she learned to glide, so everytime she even thought of gliding she could see herself falling into the deep cavern beneath the Western Air Temple. She had to be rescued by her instructor. "It really scares me Anila... I don't want to glide."

"Would you at least watch me? You are an airbender; flying is in you, you just need to find the way you learn best." Anila comforted her best friend.

"I guess no harm can come from watching safely from the ground." Karma said nervously.

Anila feed and changed a fussy little boy, then once he was down for a nap, Anila put him back in his little nest by Karma. She grabbed her glider and jumped onto Chesa's head calling out "Yip, yip" before she was even seated.

Karma didn't understand why Anila was flying off on Chesa, she knew you can start from solid ground. "Anila!" She yelled as the bison began to lift off. "What are you doing?"

Anila had a huge smile on her face, she loved the feeling of freefalling from great distances, she hadn't felt it since she had gotten pregnant. "You'll see!" She yelled back.

The sky was clear and beautiful, not a cloud in sight, Karma was going to be able to see her with no problem. The air around her felt so good as it went around her, it was cool and gentle. When Chesa had reached a nice altitude, Anila spread her arms out and with her staff in hand; she closed her eyes and let herself fall backwards from the side of Chesa's saddle. Her heart picked up in speed, and she had a tickle in her stomach as her falling body pushed through the air around. The joy in her heart made her feel so good, so free.

Karma watched from the ground as she saw Anila fall backwards, Anila didn't even attempt to open her glides she just fell through the air. Karma began to get scared, what wasAnila doing? Karma wanted to close her eyes, she didn't want to see her best friend get hurt in any way, she silently wished she could rescue Anila before she hit the ground. Anila's body fell fast; she was approaching the earth at an unbelievable speed. The closer Anila got to the ground the more panicked Karma became.

Anila opened her eyes, she was approaching the land and with one single fluid motion she opened her glider shooting herself back into the sky. She closed her glider once again using the momentum from the freefall to rocket her high into the sky, she turned her body around and around spiraling as she got higher and higher. When she reached the point where her momentum had been depleted she felt totally weightless just hovering for a few joyful and free moments before being pulled back to the earth again. Gravity may have a hold on the planet but it didn't have a hold on her. She opened her glider, swooping and turning then she softly landed next to Karma, Anila's face was so full of joy and excitement; she felt so good.

"You..." Karma began, "You are her! That girl that freefalls! I saw you when you only had a bit of fuzzy hair on your head! You are Amazing, Anila, truly amazing!"

Anila blushed a little when Karma said she had seen her gliding before. "Yeah, I remember that year." Then the smile on Anila's face faded, and her eyes dropped to the sleeping baby in the nest his mother had made for him. "That was the year I met Aang's father... He... He told me I was pretty, that I was powerful... He gave me his water pouch and told me he looked forward to seeing me again." All joy and excitement from gliding had faded, leaving pain and hurt.

"Everything will be okay Anila... What he did... What he did to us was cruel, but look at what he gave us." Karma said as she picked up and hugged her daughter.

"Yes, he gave me my special one." Anila's smile returned when she watched her baby boy stretch and opened his eyes, he was smiling... He always smiled for her... and that smile always made Anila feel good inside. He was the most important thing in her life; he brought her so much joy.

With a smile Anila turned to Karma. "Ready?"

"Ready for what?" Karma asked her.

"Ready to fly!" Anila said as she put her baby sling on securely and put her little boy into it. She handed Karma her sling.

"But... I can't I'm not that good... last time I tried I fell and needed to be rescued." Karma said nervously.

"Karma, I KNOW you can do it... It is inside you... FEEL the air then make it move, like your diaphragm moves the air in and out of your body." Her tutor told her.

Karma nodded, a bit scared but she trusted Anila one hundred percent. She secured her sling to her and placed Sonam into it. Both girls jumped onto Chesa then lifted into the sky, not quite as high as Anila had gone but still high. They stood on the side of the saddle, Anila opened her glider and Karma followed suit."One, Two Three!" Anila called out, they jumped together.

Karma was shaky and nervous, she tried to be brave like Anila, she could feel the air and to her own amazement she moved it! She moved it around her body, around her glider. She let out a laugh as she pictured the air moving around her glider in a way that made her spiral through the sky. They flew together, laughing as they did loop-d-loops together. They saw a small group of Elephant Koi swimming just beneath them; Anila lead Karma into a low swoop gliding just above the water, they were so close to the water. Karma felt brave, she reached out and touched the water's surface her fingers lightly bounced on the water's surface, she had never felt like this before and it made her feel free and happy. They flew just above the elephant koi, laughing together they touched the fish just beneath them. They were free and they were happy.

When they landed back at their camp site Karma ran to Anila and hugged her. "I never knew gliding could be so much fun! Thank you Anila! Thank you for teaching me!"

"You're welcome! We still have quite a bit of work to do, but now that you got the hang of gliding we have a reward for our hard work." Anila told her with a laugh. "Our little ones seemed to enjoy the flight, Aang was giggling and laughing almost the entire time we flew."

"Sonam was too!" Karma said.

"Tomorrow we will start working on the proper stances; they are very important, they determine the amount of power you have in your bending, an incorrect stance is the difference between this" She pushed the air out standing like Karma had had, pushing the air softly, "And this." This time Anila stood straighter, taller, more confident and sent out a forceful blast of air causing the air around them to explode out in all directions; the plants seemed to bow and tree branches waved.**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, would you please take a second to leave me a review! Thank you so very much**!


	19. Chapter 18: The Marketplace

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

**Chapter 18**

"Stand with your feet a little closer together, remember proper balance is the key to any powerful move." Anila told Karma.

It had been two weeks since Anila had started tutoring Karma; she had grown leaps and bounds in her power. Anila made the perfect teacher; she was calm, pacient and always had a kind word even when Karma performed the form incorrectly. And as a reward for their hard work they would often go gliding together.

"Mama!" Sonam said as she came toddling over from where she was playing, she had a block in her hand; Sonam offered her toy to her Mommy.

"I think it's about time for a break." Anila told Karma. They had been training all morning without a single break. As they walked back to the tents Aang started to cry. "As I thought." Anila laughed, "It's lunch time too."

"I will see if I can find any more fruit while you feed him... Winter is almost here and last time we went out there was hardly any left." Karma told Anila. "Sonam, stay with Anila while Mommy sees if she can find us anymore fresh fruit."

"We're going to need money soon... we aren't going to be able to survive on fruit and such in the winter, here." Anila said. "Could you please pick the last of the prettiest flowers so I can make hair wreaths?"

"Yes, I'll pick the best ones for you... I also have several toys I made to sell too." Karma said as she retrieved Anila's basket."Bye bye baby girl, be good for Anila."

When Karma returned she had a sad look on her face. "What's wrong Karma?" Anila asked as her friend emerged from the stand of trees.

"I could hardly find anything to eat... and there were so little flowers, maybe just enough to make one wreath. I could have swore there was nearly a hundred flowers a few days ago." Karma told her. "How are we going to get enough money to eat for more than just a few days? We have all winter we need to prepare for."

Anila could see the worry in Karma's eyes, she gave Karma a reassuring smile "Well, this time we will sell the toys you made, and then we will move to an area that's not as cold, somewhere where it's warmer and still has fruit and flowers to pick... I know we will be just fine Karma, don't worry."

"You are an amazing and confident young woman Anila, I wish I could be more like you." Karma told her best friend.

"I'm like this because you are with me. When it was just me I was scared, and lonely, and oh it was just so boring. I love traveling and seeing the world but I was alone, no one to talk to, no one to share the experience with. I am so happy you are with me Karma, thank you." Anila smiled, then started to make what she could with so few flowers.

As Anila's fingers weaved the slightly wilted flowers together, Karma was preparing their lunch. She pulled out the last of their bread, there were only enough cheese curds left for Sonam to eat and the last of the carrots had gone soft.

After their meager lunch they readied themselves for the walk into the village; the weather was growing colder so both girls wore their hooded cloaks that also kept their babies, that were secured against their bodies, warm too. Anila's basket was filled with little wooden carvings of all different kinds of animals, a few tops, and some pull-string flying toys, Karma's carving were even more beautiful than Amitaruci's flutes.

They were laughing and talking as they walked into the village. As soon as they entered the marketplace they caught sight of a very tall man dressed in Air Nomad clothing. Their laughter caught his attention and as soon as he turned to face them all laughter stopped. They tried to pull the hoods further down to cover their faces better but it didn't help, he had already seen them and who they were, and approached them.

Anila felt anger and pain welling up inside her. "I told you to LEAVE US ALONE! Are you following us? Hunting us down? Do you think this is a game? Are you having fun?"

Anila was extremely mad and didn't care who heard her.

"You used us for our innocence; you took what you wanted and then left us. Spirits! We were barely sixteen... Then..." The wind started to blow through the marketplace. "As soon as Spring came you just leave us all alone! Do you even have any idea how hurt and scared you left me?"

"Stop Anila! I'm not following..." He started.

"Did I say I'm done? No!" She cut him off. "That was what you did to me! What about her?!" Anila was pointing at Karma. "She NEVER wanted to breed! You couldn't help yourself, you just had to claim the innocence of a young woman as beautiful as she is so bad that you convinced her to go against a decision that she had put a lot of thought into."

"Hey, I..." he tried again, and she refused him once again.

"You what? You didn't force her? No but you might as well have! Personally I don't see the..."

This time he cut her off. "I want to see him! I deserve to! He's my son!"

The wind began to blow harder. "Don't EVEN start THAT! What about Sonam? She's your daughter, and she deserves to spend some time with you too... Maybe if you had I wouldn't be so angry... Maybe I'd let you see him!"

"If I..." He tried again.

"IF? IF? It's too late now." The wind around them started to blow so bad that people were running to find shelter as quickly as they could, a funnel cloud touched down in the forest. Anila got scared and started to try and find shelter too. The baby that was sleeping happily listening to his mother's heart was no longer sleeping, he was screaming as loudly as possible. He had been upset by his parents yelling at each other.

Anila sat as quickly as she could and pulled him out from under her cloak. "Oh, I'm so sorry my little boy." She patted his back and spoke softly to him, she didn't care who was around she sang to him and fed him, as he ate he calmed down and the tornado went away. She was oblivious to the man that had been standing behind her, watching in amazement as she calmed the extremely angry baby, who sniffled a few times and shuttered once or twice, as he drifted off to sleep. Anila set him down in her lap as she fixed herself.

"That was him again, wasn't it?" He said from behind her.

Anila just nodded, and stayed seated for a while, she didn't need to look to know who was behind her.

"I know what I say now doesn't mean much to you... But... for what it's worth... You are a great mother..."

Anila didn't make a sound, she couldn't, and it took everything she had to keep herself from crying. He knew as well as she did that their son was most likely the Avatar.

After several moments he handed a small purse of money to her. "You are right; I should have treated them better." Then he left the village without another word.

Anila sat completely still for a little while, Karma knelt down next to her and picked up the purse. She dumped its content into her hand, there had to be nearly fifty gold coins inside it. "Well, I guess we don't need to worry about going hungry this winter."

"I don't understand why he does that to me." Anila whimpered.

"Makes you angry?" Karma asked.

Anila shook her head, "No, I can't breathe and I feel dizzy... I hate him so much but I also..." Anila steadied her breathing again. "I wish he would just leave us alone... I wish he would just stay away. Everything would be so much easier for everyone if he would just stay away from us."

"Come on, let's go buy some food and move on to our next destination... Maybe somewhere we could go gliding. I never had so much fun gliding Anila, I love it." Karma said trying to cheer Anila back up.

Anila put on a small smile and nodded, whenever Anila was upset she liked to glide, it was freeing, like the problems couldn't touch her as long as she didn't touch the ground. The two girls purchased enough food to last them a few weeks, then they went back to camp and started to pack up and get ready to find somewhere else to stay.

Anila decided she wanted to go somewhere warm. She went gainst all her instincts and directed Chesa Westward, towards the Fire Nation and all its small islands. She felt as if that was where she needed to go, like something was drawing her there. She also knew it would be warm and have

lots of flowers to turn into wreathes.

Karma could tell Anila was emotionaly exhausted, her eyes and posture screamed it as loud as she had screamed at Amitaruci.

"Anila," Karma began, from her seat next to Anila on Chesa's head, "You look really tired, why don't you take a nap while I fly Chesa for a little while."

Anila hadn't said much since they had returned to their camp and started getting ready to leave. She nodded, then climbed into the saddle, she put her pillow under her head, and with her baby in her motherly embrace, she closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.


	20. Chapter 19: Avatar Roku's Temple

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!

* * *

**Chapter 19**

Chapter 19

As the sun hung low in the sky, and the sunset neared, the two girls decided to land for the night in a forest they were coming on. They could see a small clearing at the center of the forest and decided to land there for the night. When they landed, they hopped down and started to make camp. There was a statue at the center of the clearing. It was a statue of a large Panda Bear with smaller ones in a circle around it. Being in tune with the spirits, both girls could feel a powerful Spirit but saw nothing.

"There is a Spirit protecting this forest." Anila said as she rested her hand on the stone panda bear. She took out a few pieces of fruit and placed it at the foot of the statue. "Great Spirit, we mean you no harm. Pleas protect us while we are here as well."

Karma wasn't sure what Anila was doing. "Why did you do that?" she asked.

"I read in several books that there are spirits in this world that watch over places... This forest is one; I can feel the spirit, can't you?" Anila asked.

"Well, I do feel something... I just don't know what." Karma said. With Anila's help she was becoming better, stronger, and much more confident, but she still felt like a terrible Air Nomad.

"Come on, let's finish setting up our camp." Anila said. Then she made a little blanket nest for her 5-month-old little boy and returned to Karma's side helping her to set up the tents.

As the two girls worked, Aang began to giggle. Curious to what was making the baby laugh she turned around to check on him, her breath caugh. A giant Panda bear was sniffing the baby that was reaching up touching its nose. Both girls didn't know what to do, and even if they did they couldn't move. The baby made babbling sounds at it.

The giant Panda bear licked the laughing baby, ate the fruit and the foot of the statue then faded, it didn't disappear into the forest, it faded right before their eyes. Anila ran to her little boy and clutched him to her chest she sat down crying checking over him, he was just fine, he was still laughing and cooing.

"W... Was that what you felt?" Karma asked collapsing next to Anila.

"That... That was the spirit Hei Bai, Black and White... I think he was drawn here by Aang." Anila said, her heart felt like it was going to burst right out of her chest.

"Anila he ate the offering you left him." Karma said.

"We are welcome to stay here for as long as we need to." Anila said as she went back to setting up camp.

By the time they were finished it was already dusk and rapidly growing darker. Anila said a small prayer to Hei Bai before she started a small cooking fire. She made them delicious vegetable soup for dinner. Aang had finally reached the age where he was able to eat small portions of mashed up food, in between nursing times. He was almost able to sit up on his own too.

* * *

"Anila, I think Chesa needs a break, she's not flying as high as usual." Karna said as she watched the ocean getting closer and closer to them.

"Look, there's a crescent shaped Island we can land on and let Chesa rest for a bit." Anila told Karma. After about fifteen minutes they were setting down on the island. There was only one thing on the island. A large temple that sat at the very top of the jagged volcano island.

The girls started walking up the steep path to the temple. They were out of water and the only place that could have any was the temple. When they stopped in front of a set of huge doors, Anila reached out and pulled on a thick rope with a large fancy tassel on its end.

*BONG*BONG*BONG*

The bells rang loud as a skinny old man with a funny hat opened the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you but my sky bison was getting tired and well, sir we are out of water for ourselves as well." Anila said to him.

The old man grumbled something under his breath then invited the girls in. "Follow me. I am a Fire Sage, this is Avatar Roku's Temple" he said as he lead then down a hall and past a few rooms.

"Thank you so much, sir we are very grateful for your kidness." Anila said. They walked passed a set of doors that were open, there was a giant white crystal in it, and nothing more, yet it still seamed important. Sonam slipped her hand out of her mothers and ran into the crystal room.

"No Sonam, come back her." Karma said.

Anila went into the room to get Sonam when something strange happened, as soon as she entered the room, the crystal began to glow, a light so bright that it was almost blinding. Karma took Sonam's hand while Anila stood rozen by the crystal. The old man fell to his knees and started crying and saying weird stuff about spirits, water and the Avatar.

"Excuse me but we really need some water." Anila said.

The old man looked down at the baby strapped to his mother's chest. "Five months old, right?"

"Yeah... why?" Anila asked.

"He has been reborn! Praise the spirits! The cycle continues!" The old sage rejoiced ans sang praises to the spirits. He swiftly turned and led them a different way than he was.

"Umm why have we changed where we were going?" Karma asked.

"The Avatar doesn't belong in a lowly dirty kitchen; The Avatar will be in our nicest lounge. Please stay for a couple days." The man asked them.

"Sorry sir but we can't, my bison needs food and water too." Anila said.

"Oh, do not worry about it, we will feed it, quench it thirst, and even clean her for you. Please let the Avatar stay where he once did in his last life, this was Avatar Roku's home away from home." The man opened the door to a beautifully decorated room with comfortable seats and even a pai sho set.

"Well... maybe one night." Anila said nerviously.

"Thank you." The old man said with a bow. After that he started calling out orders to the other fire sages and in a matter of what felt like only a couple minutes there were sages filing into the lounge carrying trays with fruit and vegetables, rolls and soups, and an abundant amount of fresh cold water. Each sage gazed down at Aang for a moment then thanked the spirits for the continuing cycle. They also thanked Anila for bring the babe to the temple. It felt like hours before they were alone again.

"It's official, that crystal glowed, Anila, your little boy IS the Avatar." Karma said from the pile of soft pillows she was laying on.

"I know, Karma, I've known since the wind storm a couple months ago." Anila sighed, "The Monks are going to try to take him... I can't let them; I won't tell anyone about him. Nobody needs to know he was reborn."

"Anila," Karma said as she rolled onto her side, "The Fire Sages here know."

"Yes! but nobody else does, and they never asked for our names." Anila said to her friend. "It's getting late Karma and I'm really tired. Let's get some rest, then we will leave in the morning."

"Okay, Anila... Goodnight." Karma said as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

"Goodnight Karma, goodnight little Sonam." Anila said. Anila felt unesay, she didn't want her little boy to be the Avatar, she just wanted him to be a regular little boy, a happy little boy. She had imagined chasing him and playing with him, she had dreamed about teaching him everything she knows, she imagined him earning his tattoos, holding his hands in joint meditation as he received them. Anila must have been more tired than she thought she was, as soon as she closed her eyes she drifted off.

* * *

Unknown to Anila, when the crystal in Roku's Temple glowed, so did ALL the other crystals in the world.

Five old bald monks were sitting in quiet meditation when a young man came running into the room. "The Crystal is glowing!" the young man said as he knelt down in front of the head monks. "The Crystal is glowing! The Avatar Cycle continues!"

The five old men looked at each other,and then the one in the center spoke. "We need to start the search, send a message to the Western Air Temple; we need to know all the babies that were born five months ago. We must begin testing all of them."

"Yes, I'll do that right away!" The younger monk touched his forehead to the ground in front of them then swiftly backed out of the room; he was on his way to deliver the message to the Western Air Temple himself. This was too big to rely on anyone, he had to do it himself. The young man loaded up his tent and food, and then he left the Southern Air Temple going straight to the Western Air Temple.

* * *

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, would you please take a second to leave me a review! Thank you so very much**!


	21. Chapter 20: Ember Island

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with ATLA or Nickelodeon**

**"BG" means "Before (Air Nomad) Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old**

* * *

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

After a good night's rest Anila and Karma resumed their trip to Ember Island. Anila couldn't get her mind away from that brightly glowing crystal. She remembered seeing one once, almost identical to it at the Eastern Air Temple. She shrugged off the silly thoughts and turned her mind to the trip a head of them.

Ember Island was one of the many places she read about, she read about the braches and the troup of actors, The Ember Island Players. She always wanted to go see a play, growing up people like sister Dolkar always taught true enlitenment was their goal in life, her mother taught her that it's okay to have fun, Anila thought about how every year she had flown crane kites with other children on the small island, Munk Gyatso taught her it was okay to have fun too. She had heard stories about how he would make the fruit cakes then launch them off a balcony aiming at the meditating munks.

"What are we going to do on Ember Island?" Karma asked.

"Oh... ahhhhhhh... sorry I drifted away... Well I wanted to see a play. I read about them, I read a lot when I was little, I had only a few friends, there were many girls that always picked on me. So I spend a lot of time in the temple library. I read about all kinds of places, they all seamed so wonderful I think you would love them too."

"You... You didn't have many friends?! You are lieing, your so powerful and wonderful and so... so confident. I wish I could be half the person you are!" Karma told her.

Anila smiled at her friend, "I was awkward, and goofy, and so, so clumbsy."

"But you don't seem like it." Karma said.

"Just after my fifteenth birthday I got hit in the head by an Airball... I got knocked out my post and broke a few bones, I couldn't attend the Yankchan festival that year." Anila said saddly.

"That was the year I turned sixteen." Karma said. "I met Amitaruci that year... He sat next to me in the circle when we had our meal. He introduced himself, and we talked and he was just so nice, and so dreamy. I could hardly breath." Karma told her story.

Anila started to laugh, "I'm sorry I'm not laughing at you. I meet him because I was running in the huge green field... I, Oh goodness this is imbarrasing, I triped over him, he was laying in the soft grass." Anila's face was bright red and she could feel her cheeks burning.

Karma put her hands in front of her mouth, she tried to be nice and hold her laughter in.

"It's okay, you can laugh... It's funny." Anila said as she herself began to laugh so hard tears ran down her cheeks.

"What happened after you triped?" Karma managed after about twenty minutes of side splitting laughter.

"He helped me up, he said it was his fault... Once I looked him in the face... He really is dreamy, isn't he... The jerk!" Anila said.

"Did this happen the year you left with him?" Karma asked.

"No... it happened two year before, I had just turned fourteen, the year you seen me gliding... I could hardly breath, my mouth and throte went dry, I could hardly talk and I kept coughing thats why he gave me his water pouch... it was the year after that I got hurt and couldn't go, I was devestated, I wanted to see him again he was so dreamy, and so kind, he called me Pretty One."

"When he talked to me, he said I was sweet and beautiful... He paid full attention to me... It was amazing. The boys my age were always mean to me, they made fun of me because I really wasn't that good at Airbending. He made me feel so good... so happy. I cdouldn't believe such a handsome man stayed with me the intire time we were at the festival. When he asked me to leave with him, I didn't know what to do or say. I grew up at the Western Air Temple, I know exactly what happens when people pair off and leave together. His smile, his kind words and... well everything, so I accepted and he took me to the Fire Nation. And well, you and I both know what happened there." Karma explained.

* * *

Just a few days later they finally reached Ember Island. They decided to set up camp near the beach. After they set up camp and collected firewood, Anila and Karma decided to take a walk into town, Sonam toddled a little bit a head of them. "Sonam stay close to Mommy." Harma called to her daughter. Anila and Karma wondered from stall to stall, shop to shop. There were all kinds of souvaniers and nic-nacs being sold here.

Anila bought herself and Karma matching seashell necklaces. "Best Friends" Anila said as she helped Karma with her necklace.

"Best Friends!" Karma repeated as she examined herself in a mirror.

They stopped to watch a street preformer preform all kinds of tricks with his firebending. When he finished he took a bow and the two girls along with two others aplauded him. The other two people dropped a couple copper pieces each, Anila dropped two gold pieces into the preformer's cup. The girls then began to walk back to camp.

"Excuse me!" A voice from behind them called out. Both girls were surprized by the voice. "Excuse me! Hello?"

The girls turned around too see who was calling out to them. It was the street preformer, "Normally I would't say anything... but two beautiful young girls like you... I just had tpo talk to you." He said with a smile.

The girls smilled back. "Thank you Anial said."

"Okay so, my reason for talking to you, You gave me two gold pieces, I think you made a mistake, that you meant to give me two other coins."

"No, I gave you two gold on purpose." Anila said.

"Really!? Thank you so much! I'm Zakai." He told them. He looked as if he he were right about as old as they were.

"Nice to meet you Zakai, I'm Anila and this is my friend Karma." Anila told him.

"So are you two beautiful girls here with your family?" Zakai asked them.

"You could kind of say that." Anila said with a laugh.

"We are just friends." Karma told him.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Anila asked as they approached their camp.

"Oh... uuummmm... I've never been invited to have dinner with alyone before." He told them as he nervously fidgeting with his cup in his hand.

"Air Nomads never turn away a hungry guest." Anila said.

Karma started setting the wood up for their camp fire as Anila started cutting bread, fruits and vegetables.

"Would you like me to do that?" He asked Karma. "I can do it quickly." He said with a chuckle, as he produced a small flame from the palm of his hand.

"Ok, thank you so much." Karma said to him.

Aang began to fuss so Anila took him out of his sling and laid him on a blanket. Zakai watched Anila couriously.

"How... I hope you don't mind me asking but... well I noticed you both have babies with you... Not to pry too much but... well... How old are you two?" He asked them.

"I'm eighteen." Karma said.

"I'm seventeen." Anila said, "and yes the babies are ours."

"So you both have husbands." Zakai looked a little glum.

"No, no husbands." Anila laughed, "Normally airbenders dont marry, we breed... Have babies to keep up the Airbender population."

"Wow... uuummmmm... no offence but that just doesn't seem right." Zakai said. "If I had a young woman as beautiful as you two are, I'd never let them go."

"Well, in all honesty... We don't see how the rest of the airbenders cold give up families and relationships like they do." Anila told him. "I will never give my sweet little Boy up."

"I could never give Sonam up either... Sonam, I told you to stay close to Mommy." Karma said as she got up to collect her daughter.

"Anila... Your name is almost as beautiful as you are." He told her.

She looked up and started to blush, but then remembered what the last person that said she was beautiful did to her. "Thanks I guess." Anila said turning back to her little boy. She began to feed him small bits of cheese curds. He made cute little "num num num" sounds with each bite.

Karma prepaired a plate of food for Sonam then she made one for Zakai and finally one for herself.

"Thank you both for your wonderful genorocity. I haven't ever meet an airbender before." He smiled at them, "Now I know two."

"Four" Anila corrected him. "Air Nomads don't give birth to nonbenders... we ALL airbend." Anila told him.

"Oh, Well I guess I learned a lot about airbenders today." Zakai said with a smile.

After Aang had his fill of food he began to yawn and fuss. "It was really nice to meet you... My tiny one is getting sleepy, I need to put him dawn for the night." Anila said. She airbended herself to her feet and picked up her son, then she went into her tent and nursed her baby andput him down for the night.

Zakai was nice, and he wasn't bad looking but as soon as he started to use the same words Amitaruci did Anila's guard went up... She wasn't going to put herself in a position to have her heart ripped out again by a man.

LINEBREAK

The Young Air Nomad Monk reached the Western Air Temple quickly. As he was led to the Head Nun's office he saw so many babies that looked to be the right age to be the new Avatar. "Wait here please." A yound Nun told him as she went into a circular room. After about fifteen minuets she emerged, "She will see you now."

He walked nervously into the room and bowed to the head Nun. "I was sent here to inforn you that The Avatar Cycle contenuies. We need a list of all the babies that were born the night the valcano in the Fire Nation erupted, almost sis months ago." He bowed again.

"I will have a list made up for you, we have almost fifty babies born everyday, this wil take a bit of time to collect all the information you requested. I will have the young Nun that brought you to my office to have special quarters set up for you while you wait." The Nun told him.

"Thank you very much Sister." He bowed yet again then left the room.

After another twenty minutes the young Nun came out once more. "Pleas follow me." She led him away from the main area where the women were and showed him to a room.

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**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, would you please take a second to leave me a review! Thank you so very much**!


	22. Chapter 21: A New Friend

**I do not nor have I ever had anythung to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG meabs "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anilqa's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

* * *

Anila was awoken just before sunrise by her sweet, but very hungry, baby boy. After she fed him, she changed him and she spread out a blanket and placed him on it, next she started a cooking fire; and finally she rearanged herself into the lotus position and began to meditate while her sweet baby boy babled happily from his blanket just inside her tent.

Anila heard footsteps walking up to the little camp site, "Uuuummmm, good morning. I saw the smoke from the fire and figured you girls were up." A male voice said to her. She slowly let out a breath of air and opened her eyes, and found Zakai standing in front of her.

"Yes, what do you want?" She asked him.

"Well, you said airbenders don't turn away a hungry visitor." He said and grinned widely down at her, using a custom as a loop-hole to talk to her again.

"No we do not," Anila shook her head, "have a seat." She gestured at the spot across from her. "Do you not have a home?"

"Not anymore, not really." Zakai told her as he stared into the dancing flames of the cooking fire, he had picked up a piece of kelp and started to fidget with it. It was his turn to take a breath and blow it out. "The day I turned sixteen my Step-father kicked me out, he said I was a man now and he would not allow me to remain in his home and leach off of him. Sometimes I get letters from my mother, a tiny bit of money here or there from her. Where is your home?"

"You don't know much about 'Air Nomads' do you?" She asked him.

"No... Not really." He lifted his to meet hers again.

"I was raised by nuns at The Eastern Air Temple. Karma," Anila gestured towards Karma's quiet tent, "grew up at The Western Air Temple. When we, Air Nomads, turn sixteen we are free to leave the temples and travel on our own. We make and sell crafts to get the money we need to buy food and other nessisities that we can't find in nature."

"So... Nomad, a fancy word for homeless." Zakai said with a chuckle.

"We're not homeless, we choose to live this way." Anila said rolling her eyes, she was insulted by the word 'homeless'.

"Hey," He said putting his hands up to show he is surrendering to her, "I'm sorry, I was just sayin' it sounds a lot like what I do... I guess I'm a Fire Nomad." He started laughing and Anila tried to keep a straight face, but her playful side took over and she joined in a few minutes later.

"Okay, okay, okay..." Anila calmed herself down. "I should start cooking breakfast now."

"I'll get you the water." Zakai said as he got up and grabbed a bucket, taking a short hike to a fresh-water pool.

Anila wanted to be friends with Zakai, but after having her heart and spirit ripped to peices she wouldn't let herself go through that again. She had a small bag and a hand-weaved bambo box sitting near her as she contenuied to rumage through their food stuffs when Zakai had returned with the bucket of water.

While he was gone Anila had placed a cooking pot on the fire, he poured the contence of the bucket into the pot, and then returned to his seat across from her's, which was next to her baby. He looked around at everything, pausing for a minute or so on the adorahable baby as it chewed on its hand. Whenever Anila turned to look at him he would look around again, as if taking in everything around him.

"Here it is!" Anila said happily as she pulled ouy a cloth bag filled with rice. "I hope you like sweet rice for breakfast."

"As a mater of fact, sweet rice is my favorite breakfast!" Zakia told with a smile.

"Why do you do that?" She asked him.

"Why do I do what?" He asked a bit confused.

"The smiling and laughing at me." She told him as she picked up her beautiful boy.

"I'm not laughing at you, I smile and laugh because I'm happy. " He told her.

"Oh, that's okay then I guess." She told him.

"What's it's name?" Zakai asked gesturing to the baby oh her lap.

"His name is Aang, it means Soaring Peacefully." Anila said looking down at her precious little boy.

"I'm sorry if I am asking you so many questions, it's just that you and Karma are the first Air Nomads I have ever met. I am fasinated by you." He told her.

Rusteling sounds came from inside Karma's tent, moment's later she pops her head out. "Did someone say my name?" She asked with a smile.

"Well good morning, miss Karma!" Zakia said as she emerged from her tent followed closely by her daughter.

"So what's going on?" Karma asked them.

"I'm making breakfast for all of us, and he was saying how he never met any Air Nomads before us." Anila told Karma as she scooped a few handfulls of rice into the now boiling pot of water.

"I hope you don't mind me saying this but they look very similar." Zakai said as he looked at Sonam and Aang.

"Yeah, we know... They have the same father." Karma answered.

"So you weren't messing with me when you said Air Nomads breed?" Zakia wasn't really sure what to think. "That just seems odd to me, no offence to either of you, it's just so different from how I grew up."

"Okay, let me give you the basics." Anila started. "Air Nomads breed, when their children reach the age of two, the mothers choose to give the temples their children. Boys go to the Northern or Southern Air Temples, to be raised and trained by Munks, girls are raised and trained by Nuns at the Eastern or Western Air Temples. When the children reach sixteen we are free to leave the air temples and travel the world. And the cycle begins again." Zakai sat quietly, Anila suspected that it was because of confusion.

She watched him as he sat deep in thought. He was not a bad looking guy, he had dark brown hair and his eyes were the exact same shade of grey as Anila's, he wasn't tall, but he was taller than her.

Aang caught her attention by grabbing a handfull of hair, pulling on it as he tried to put it into his mouth. "Ouchies Little One, that hurts Mommy." She told him. "I think you want attention. I'm gunna tickel you." She started to tickle his chubby belly and blow on his tummy, he laughed and laughed and she laughed right along with him.

"I don't understand how you can just give up your child, don't you love them." Zakai asked Karma and Anila.

Anila heard Sister Dolkar's voice echoing in her head. "Love is an earthly attachment, we must rid ourselves of all earthly attachments to reach full enlightenment." Anila said to him. He didn't need to know that she did't care about full enlightenment or ridding herself of her earthly attachments.

"Anila, the rice is done, I'll go grab bowls for us." Karma said quickly to change the subject, most of the world didn't understand most of the Air Nomad traditions.

Karma scooped rice into all the bowls, passing the first two to Anila so that she could put the butter and sugar into them then cool them enough for the babies to eat some from their mothers's bowls.

* * *

This was the first time the young munk had ever traveled to the Western Air Temple, he had never seen such a beautiful work of art, all the buildings looked like they were upside down. It had been a bit disorenting the first couple days, he felt like gravity had reversed its self. Now that his brain had adjusted he marvled at the crafstmenship of the Temple builders.

He was staring at the gravity fountain when a young woman approached him.

"Excuse me, Munk Jamyang, We are finished compileing that list you asked for." A young nun told him as she handed him the rolled and sealed scroll.

"Are these all the babies born at the time of Avatar Roku death?" He asked the nun.

"Yes Sir, all of them, all the ones that were expected to give birth then as well as the young woman that went into labour unexpectedly."

"Thank you very much Sister," he said with a respectful bow. "One more thing Sister, Could you please have my Bison prepaired to leave tomorrow morning? I need to get this list back to the head munks at the Southern Air Temple as soon as possible."

"Yes Sir, we can have him ready for you first thing in the morning." The young woman said and bowed back to him.

He found a bench to sit on and broke open the wax seal and began to read all the names on the list. There was a total of fifty six births within the small time frame, when Avatar Roku had died.


	23. Chapter 22: Happy First Birthday

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

**Chapter 23**

"Good morning my happy boy! " Anila said as she hugged her little boy. "Happy birthday! You are so big now!" Her little baby grew into a chunky toddler, once he learned to walk he was always on the go. He didn't like being held all the time, he preferred to walk on his own, and he never strayed too far from his mother's side. He had big grey eyes and tufts of unmanageable black hair that always stuck up in every direction, he was always so happy, smiling and laughing all the time.

When his newborn looks faded his face took on some of his father's characteristics, particularly his smile, and the irresistible twinkle in his eye. Anila wasn't the only one that noticed it, she had pretended she didn't see it until Karma had said something to her about it. Anila had responded, saying that Sonam also looked a lot like her father, too. Both girls agreed that his looks were his best feature and hoped their children didn't inherit any of his less desirable qualities.

Anila was dressing her little boy for the day when there was a knock on her door. "Yeah?" She hollered. As the door opened Anila turned to see who was entering. It was Sister Opame, as soon as she shut the door behind her, she became 'Mom' and 'Grandma'.

"Let me see my grandson!" She told her daughter as she picked up the half-dressed little boy.

"I'm still dressing him, Mom. " Anila smiled and shook her head as she watched her mother cuddle the little boy and kiss his chubby cheeks.

"You guys got here late last night and I didn't get to spend any time with him." Her mother said as she loved on her grandson.

"Could I please finish dressing him first please?" Anila held her hands out to the little boy. "Mama Ma." He said as he leaned towards his Mother's hands. Grandma kissed him once more before handing him over.

"Thank you, M-" Anila was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Yeah?" She said as she put pants on Aang. Karma entered the room. Anila still hasn't told anyone that her Guardian is really her Mother, not even Karma knows.

"I was wondering if you and Aang were ready to go down to breakfast. Sonam keeps saying she is hungry.

"Hungry!" The little girl said with a scowl on her face, she was standing at her Mother's side.

"Okay Sonam, I'm finished dressing Aang, we can go down now." Anila told the little girl.

"Okay!" She said happily as she walked out into the hall waiting for everyone else to join her. They all walked down to the dining hall together.

As they entered the dining hall Anila was swarmed by girls and women, all greeting her warmly then each taking a turn to say how adorable Aang was, the little boy was enjoying all the attention, laughing and babbling to the women. "Hey, Little One! None of that! I don't want you to be like your Father." Anila told him with a small laugh. She scanned the room looking for a place to sit down, her eyes connected with a very angry girl's, and her smile fell. It was the girl Aang's father was trying to flirt with at the previous Yangchan Festival. Anila leaned over and asked Sister Opame, "Who is she and why have I never seen her here before?"

"Her name is Karin, she came here to become a nun, because she couldn't make it in the world alone." Sister Opame whispered to Anila. A smile crept across Anila's face as she felt oddly happy that the girl couldn't handle the real world.

Anila and Karma took seats at a nearby table, kitchen girls began to bring them bowls of fruit, bowls of hot cereal, sweet breads and an egg custard tart. Anila loved egg custard tarts, she took a spoonful and took a bite, she smiled as the custard nearly melted in her mouth, then put a tiny bite on her spoon and fed it to her little boy, who after eating what she had given him, tried to attack the plate it was on. "Oh, you like that do you?" She said as she feed him another bite. "It's Mommy's favorite food too. She tried to feed him other items from their table but he refused everything except the tart.

After they finished eating Anila went into the kitchen to talk to the person in charge. "Today is my baby's first birthday and I was wondering if you could make a birthday cake for him?"

"He is just the cutest, happiest babies we have had here." Said the elderly Nun in charge of the kitchen. "We will make him a special cake just for him."

"Thank you so much!" Anila said. "Do you have any of the egg custard tart left? He practically ate my entire piece himself."

"The babe has good taste." The woman chuckled as she placed a whole tart into a basket and handed it to Anila, "Happy Birthday Little One." The woman said as she tussled the boy's already unmanageable hair.

After dinner Anila, Karma, Sonam, and Sister Opame were celebrating Aang's first birthday in Sister Opame's main room.

"So you were Anila's guardian? I didn't really have a guardian growing up at The Western Air Temple, we kind of just lived in a nursery, being cared for by several different nuns." Karma told them.

Sister Opame and Anila exchanged glances then Sister Opame turned to Karma. "I want to tell you something but you must NEVER tell anyone."

"Okay, I promise never to tell anyone." Karma said as she looked between Anila and Sister Opame.

"Anila is my daughter. I came here with her, I told them I was a new nun and that The Western Air Temple made me the girl's guardian and sent me here. Like both of you, I didn't believe it was best for the child to be raised by a stranger. I love my daughter… and my grandson." Anila's mother told her.

Karma smiled, "I wish I had known my mother. I won't make my daughter wonder what I was like. Anila gave me the courage to keep Sonam and raise her myself."

Anila turned to her mother, "Is there any good news going around?"

Sister Opame smiled, "The crystal glowed! The Avatar Cycle continues!" She told the girls.

"W- When did that happen?" Anila was surprised and a bit nervous by her mother's words.

"About seven months ago! It was an amazing moment, we all bowed down and thanked the spirits for the gift of another Avatar." Her mother was beaming with joy.

"M – Mom I need to – to tell you something… And I need it to stay between us, nobody else must know – Well, not yet… Please?" Anila waited for her mother to respond.

"Okay Anila I promise I won't tell anyone anything." She took Anila's hand in her own, comforting her nervous looking daughter.

"The day the Crystal glowed… We- We were at Avatar Roku's Temple, Chesa was tired and thirsty and so were we." Anila gestured to Karma and herself. "The crystal started to glow when…" Anila stopped and took a shaky breath.

"I'm listening Anila." She told her.

"It glowed when I got close to it with Aang." Anila was so scared that tears had begun flowing without her knowledge. "They are going to take him from me aren't they?"

Opame was conflicted, she was excited that her grandson was the Avatar but at the same time she knew just as well as Anila that the little boy would be most likely removed from his mother's care. "Cherish the time you have with him… Love him."

"I'm afraid if he is raised in the Temples that he won't know what love is…" Anila felt like her entire world was collapsing around her. "That he'll just end up like his father, seducing women, collecting girl's innocents. They would want him to breed, passing on his powerful airbending to as many children as he could… I don't want him to be like that."

"My sweet daughter," He mother stroked her hair, "They will not remove him from you before his second birthday, show him what Love is, maybe one day he too will Love a woman, and Love his children."

"I love you Mother! I always have, thank you so much for talking to me about this… I don't want to give him up… Maybe I could hide with him." Anila said. "Train him myself then turn him over to the Monks when he comes of age."

"You could try that, you are a wonderful teacher Anila." Her mother told her, bringing the young woman into a hug. "I know you will raise him right." Opame kissed her daughter on her forehead. She knew in her heart that no matter what Anila did the boy would be removed from her care eventually, but he still need to know what love is… Everyone should know what love is, everyone should be loved, and everyone should love. "I love you Anila!"

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few seconds to leave me a review.**


	24. Chapter 23: I'm Sorry

**I do not nor have I ever had anythung to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG meabs "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Anila and Karma got the the Yangchan Festival a few days eairly, Karma took Sonam with her to go get water while Anila started setting up camp. She set Aang down on the grass with a few toys while she unloaded Chesa's saddle. He took a seat and started clapping blocks together while Anila set up their tents. Tent set up was easy, all she had to do was tie the canvas to the poles then push air inside and up it popped. Karma was still gone, but Anila was done setting up their camp site so she took Aang into the great big field and started playing with him.

"I'm gunna get you!" She said as she chased him around. Every time she caught him she would cover his chubby little face in kisses then release him again. The boy squealed in delight as he move his short little legs as fast as he could. She tossed him in the air and caught him over and over, the little boy loved being tossed into the air, they both laughed as they played. They were so happy playing together that she hadn't noticed anyone come over the hill.

"Hello, Anila. I saw Chesa, so figured I'd find you here, you always did like to play."

She turned to look at the tall handsome man that had been watching her and her little boy play. Annoyed she asked him "What do you want?"

He stood still, didn't make any sort of sudden movements that might throw the very protective mother into defense mode. "I just want to talk." He told her. "Can we please just sit down and talk?"

Anila stood still, eyeing his suspiciously as she decided what to do. She rolled her eyes and sat down then asked "Fine, what do you want to talk about?"

He walked over to her and sat down across from her. "I'd like to say I'm sorry, I was selfish and greedy."

"Yes you were… Thank you for the money last winter, we wouldn't have done well without it." She told him as she picked at the grass in front of her.

"He's… He's gotten big." He said looking over at the chubby little boy. "And cute."

Anila looked up at him, "What's his name?"

To her surprise, he didn't hesitate at all. "Aang... Thanks to you I had a lot of time to think… To reevaluate things... I couldn't stop thinking about you… and him."

"And what did you figure out?" Anila asked him, her tone had a tiny bit of boredom in it. She really didn't want to talk to him, but he at least deserved to be heard.

"I'm a selfish jerk." He said.

"Really!? I hadn't noticed." She said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

"Anyways…" He huffed, then calmed back down before continuing "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry… I wasn't lying when I said you were one of my favorites. You were always so happy and playful… So full of life. So…"

"Innocent?" She said to him.

"Yes, innocent… and realize that you lost that." He told her.

"Lost?! I didn't LOOSE it, you TOOK it with you when you left me there all alone and pregnant!" She was growing irritated with him. She kept her eyes on the little boy that was wandering around them.

"I know… I'm trying to apologize." He told her, he too was watching the cute chubby little boy. "None of the other girls cared…"

"Wrong! When was the last time you talked to Karma?" Anila asked him.

"I… I'm not sure." He said, hanging his head in shame. "I know I need to apologize to her too."

"I don't understand you! I have grown to not trust you! The last time you used these… these sweet words, you used me, to get what you wanted. Tell me why are you saying this stuff now?" She asked him.

"Because I realize now that during that time we spent together I… I grew to have feeling for you." He told her.

"And?" She asked him, "What do you want from me?"

"Don't you understand what I am telling you? I love you, I want to be with you, travel together for the rest of our lives."

Anila shook her head, this is exactly what she had imagined, he would say and do… but in her heart it felt right, in her head she knew what he had done to her, even her little boy didn't like him. "Just give me some time to think… I need to go make lunch… I'll find you later." She stood and picked up her little boy. When she got back to their little camp Anila set Aang down and started to cut up some of the fresh fruits they had, and a bit of bread to go with it. She did not speak at all, she just worked quickly to get their lunch ready.

"Anila, is something wrong?' Karma asked her.

"I… I don't know, I'm really confused right now and I don't want to talk about it." She couldn't even look Karma in the eye. She was cutting everything up so quickly that she accidently cut her finger. "Ouch!"

"What's-" Karma started then caught sight of Anila's finger. "Anila, go clean that up, take a few bandages, I'll finish with this, you don't want that to get infected."

Anila half-smiled, "Thanks, I'll be right back." Anila collected some bandages from one of her bags and a cup to scoop the water from the pond, then swiftly walked down to the freshwater pond. He mind was not with her right now, it was back in that grassy field… Looking at the man she had dreamed he would say the words he had just told her.

When she reached the pond she scooped the water then sat down and started to rinse her finger, she needed to clear the blood away to see how badly she had cut herself. As she poured the water it cleared the blood, the cut had gone fairly deep. She folded a cloth then wrapped it around her finger: she held it tightly, to stop the bleeding.

"I saw what happened, and I saw you come down here." Anila looked up to see Amitaruci, again. He knelt down in front of her and helped her hold the cloth tight so that she could apply another on top then wrap it tightly, to hold constant pressure.

She welcomed his presence, and she welcomed his touch; a wave of goose bumps starting from her toes and cascaded through her body, making her hair stand on end.

"You are so beautiful." He said tenderly as he leaned in and kissed her, caressing her face gently as he did so. At first she was stiff but after a few moments she leaned in and returned the embrace. Her head was spinning in delight, her heart pounded in her chest, and her breathing became shallow and ragged as she reacted to him. She couldn't even think as she melted into him.

She reached up to touch his strong jaw line, sharp pain shot through her hand as she put pressure on her finger. She pulled away quickly, she knew that no matter how much she wanted this there was a little boy that she needed to get back to. "I… I need to go." She said as she stood up quickly and walked back to camp. That kiss didn't help any towards the decision she had to make.

"How bad is it?" Karma asked when Anila returned.

"Huh?" She asked, not sure what Karma meant.

"Your cut, how bad is it?" Karma repeated her question.

"Oh, my finger… It's not too bad, it will be okay as long as I keep it clean and dry." Anila answered, not making eye contact with her best friend. She sat down in front of her little boy as she feed him soft fruit and small bites of bread. After he was finished eating he was ready for his afternoon nap. "I'm going to lay down with Aang, for an afternoon nap, is that okay?"

"Yeah sure, I can get everything cleaned up after Sonam falls asleep." Karma smiled at her friend.

"Thanks Karma, you really are a great friend." Anila told Karma then went into her tent with her little boy. Anila was not sure what she wanted right now, she would never leave Karma behind, she would never ask her to leave her side. Her lips still tingled from the amazing kiss she shared. She didn't know what to do, her heart said one thing and her brain told her another. Her heart screamed for him, but her brain told her the last time he used these kind of words she ended up six months pregnant and alone. She thought of Sonam, she would benefit from having her father around, and so would Aang. Which should she listen to?

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	25. Chapter 24: A Hard Decision

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

"**BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 24**

Anila did not fall asleep, she just laid still watching her baby boy sleep, his chest lightly rising and falling, she smiled as she gently brushed his chubby pink cheek with the back of her knuckles. She loved him with every bit of herself. He was her whole world, nothing meant more to her than this little boy that grew inside her. She remembers how it felt when he kicked, how it felt when he hiccupped.

Then she thought about herself, what did she want? This isn't fair, she knew what she wanted, and she knew how she felt. Amitaruci was asking a lot of her, her head still spun and her heart still pounded. Her heart wanted him, she could see him playing with their baby boy, maybe another baby. Her mind screamed at her, he'll just hurt you again it told her. How could you let him back into your life? Remember how you felt that first day of spring, his words are smooth and enticing but he just turned out to be a greedy jerk that lures sweet innocent young girls. How could he not even care one bit about them? What kind of heartless man, manipulated young girls just barely on their own, takes their body's and leaves them pregnant and all alone. And what about Karma, how would she feel if Anila just up and left her like he left her all alone. Anila would never hurt Karma like that.

And his children…How many girls tried to show him his baby, only to be shrugged off because he was too busy manipulating other young girls, to collect? She thought about poor sweet Sonam, she is a beautiful sweet young almost two years old girl. She had his eyes, his beautiful burgundy brown eyes, and his smile. He only showed interest in Aang because of how powerful he is… because he's the new Avatar and he knows this just as much as she does.

Anila's thoughts returned to all the girls he collected, how could she let herself be wooed by him again, the kisses where wonderful, he voice smooth, he always knew exactly what to say to make her melt for him.

A soft voice came from just outside her tent called to her. "Anila… are you asleep?"

"No, I couldn't fall asleep… Give me a second." Anila told Karma as she gently pulled away from her sleeping baby boy.

Anila came crawling out of her tent and found Karma sitting next to a steaming pot on the fire. "What do you need?"

"You… you have been acting funny, distant, all day. You weren't paying attention to what you were doing when you cut your finger… and you wouldn't even look at me after you got back from cleaning and bandaging your cut… Did I do something wrong?" Karma asked her best friend.

"No Karma," Anila managed a real smile. "I've just been thinking, that's all."

"About what?" Karma asked.

"About us traveling together, I hope we stay best friends forever!" Anila told karma then hugged her. "You're like a sister to me, and I'm happy I met you!"

Karma laughed as she hugged Anila back. "I love traveling together! This last year has been great!"

…

The next morning Airbenders from all over the world came to celebrate one of the most sacred holidays in Air Nomad culture. After their breakfast Anila, Karma, and the little ones ventured out in search of the Eastern Air Temple group, she wanted to spend the day with her mother.

The Festival started as usual, bowing three times to the statue of the beautiful Sprit Then they separated into smaller groups to listen to the story of the beautiful spirit, and about the great spirit Old Iron. Anila and Karma flew over to the nearby island to watch the children fly crane kites.

"Hello, Anila! You have grown into a beautiful young woman." The old monk said to her.

"You always know how to make me smile, Monk Gyatso." Anila told the smiling old man.

"And who is this little one?" He asked her.

A smile spread across her face, "This is my little boy, Aang… he just turned a year old a little over a month ago."

"Peaceful soring." The old monk looked into the little boy's grey eyes and smiled. "He will be a very powerful bender, I can see it in him."

"Thank you, he's just my special little one." She told him.

"You love him, I can see it in your eyes." The kind monk said to her. Anila got a bit nervous, they weren't supposed to love. He chuckled softly at the panic that appeared on her face, "Don't worry, Anila I won't tell anyone."

They stayed on the small island, letting their babies play with the other children. Anila flew a kite low and slow, making it circle around Aang and Sonam, whom laughed and chased it. Until the music started, announcing the walk down to the lush meadow for the traditional lunch. Everyone gathered back at the bison and flew back to the festival grounds, joining the other airbenders in the festival activities.

A horn blew and everyone turned to see the head monks and nuns from each of the temples all standing together in the center of the field. Everyone went silent and the Patriarch of the Air Nomads began to project his voice. "Today we deliver wonderful news to you all! As you all know, Avatar Roku was killed trying to save his Island from the volcano on it." Everyone bowed their heads and were quiet for a few minutes showing respect to the passed Avatar. "We stand before you to tell you that The Avatar Cycle continues! A babe was born that very same time at the Western Air Temple."

The Air Nomads clapped, Anila heard people talking, saying how wonderful it would be to see the Avatar, she saw some of the women that had babies the exact same age as her little one, wondering of their baby was the next Avatar. Then the old monk began again, "We expect to see all the women on this list next festival. Thank you all, enjoy your traditional lunch."

Anila began to panic, now EVERYONE knew about the birth of The Avatar, she wanted to run and hide, but she knew if she did everyone would be suspicious. She scanned the field looking for some reason for her to get up, without alerting everyone. Her eyes locked onto a certain man's, he was staring right at her and the little one in her lap that was gnawing on a biscuit she had given to him.

Anila thanked the spirits when Aang began to fuss and whine, alerting her to his nap time. She politely excused herself, telling then her little one was sleepy. She swiftly walked back to her tent where she changed his diaper and put him down for a nap, she laid next to him. Not too much later she heard a man calling her name. She rolled her eyes the carefully crawled out of the dark tent. "What?" She asked.

"Well… I just wanted to know if you had an answer for me yet." Amitaruci said to her.

"I… I… No, I don't have an answer for you yet… Please just give me more time." She lied to him.

He gave her his most handsome smile ever then said, "Okay, I can wait... You are so special to me that I can wait, Beautiful one."

"I'll give you my answer the day after tomorrow… I just need more time to think." Anila told him, then crawled back into her tent. "Spirit's help me stay strong, help me stick to my decision.

"Okay, the day after tomorrow!" He said shining his beautiful white teeth.

…

Anila woke you full of dread, today was the day that she had to give Amitaruci her answer. She had been meditating a lot yesterday, keeping her anxiety at bay. She was not ready to see him again, she hated herself because she still loved him. She had talked to Karma about what had happened that first day here. She told Karma what she was going to tell him, Karma helped Anila stay strong. He had convinced her to breed, so she knew just as much as Anila how smooth Amitaruci's words were, accompanied by her gorgeous smile, he knew how to melt a girl's heart.

After breakfast the girls began to pack up their camp, loading Chesa's saddle with their belongings. After everything was loaded, Anila told Karma she had to go speak to Amitaruci one more time, that it was time to tell him how she felt. She picked up her little boy and went to the field they had first met at. It wasn't long before Amitaruci joined her at the top of the hill.

"Hello, Beautiful One!" He said to her grinning widely. "Can… Can I hold him?" He asked her.

"Yes you may." She said she he accepted the little boy she held out for him.

"Hello, Aang!" He said all perky and happily to the little boy. The boy's smile went from his usual smiling and babbling to a pouty face then full out crying, stretching his arms out to his mother, crying "Mamama mamama!"

She held her hands out and the boy practically leapt into her arms. She cuddled her boy against her chest safely in her arms as the boy calmed down. His reaction to his father helped seal her resolve. She took a deep breath, she was ready to give him her answer. "Amitaruci… the last four days I've been thinking about what you asked me. I want to… But I can't. I'm not a silly girl with a crush anymore. I will not allow you to manipulate me or Aang or Karma or Sonam. No! I can't and I won't, and I'm not sorry. You just left that first day of spring, you didn't care then how can you expect me to think you care now? All my love belongs to this little boy, for Karma, and for Sonam… I have none left for you. Good bye and please just leave me alone." Anila walked back to where she had left Karma. By the time she reached Karma her cheeks were wet from the hard decision she had to make… It was the hardest thing she ever had to do."

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few seconds to leave me a review.**


	26. Chapter 25: I'm Sorry

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 25**

"Anila! Wait! Please." Amitaruci called to Anila as she walked back the way she had come. "Please, I can't think of anything but you… I need you!"

The young woman stopped and turned to face him. "I do NOT need you! I do NOT want you!" She hollered back to him. "I am going to ASK you one time and one time only to please leave me and MY son alone! I will not hesitate to protect my family. You hurt me once, I will never give you the chance to hurt me or anyone I love EVER again! You have no idea how powerful I am!"

"But… but?" He stammered, he was still quite shocked that she told him no, nobody had ever told him no before. He stood stunned as he watched Anila walk over the hill and back to her campsite.

…

"Hey Anila! Where did you go?" Karma asked as Anila set Aang down on the ground.

"I just needed to say one last goodbye to someone…" Anila said in her everyday normal perkiness. "Are we almost ready to go?"

Aang toddled over and sat down next to his sister, she shared her ash banana with him. "Go Bye bye?" The chubby toddler asked his mother.

"Yes my, happy little boy, soon!" She said before checking to make sure everything was tied down properly.

"Everything is done, we can leave as soon as you are ready." Karma told her.

"Okay then let's go!" Anila said as she picked up little boy, then jumped onto Chesa's head, with Aang sitting comfortably in her lap as Karma did the same. "Yip yip!" She called out, urging the bison into the air.

"Ip ip" Her little one copied.

Anila sat quietly as they flew, the hours passed by. Her little boy had fallen asleep against his mother's chest wrapped up in her cloak and held on to tightly by his mother loving embrace. Anila kept going over her decision in her mind, was it the right decision? Was it the best decision? Would Aang have benefitted from being raised by both of his parents? What about Karma? Anila couldn't leave her best friend behind, Karma was more like a sister now than a best friend. And if Amitaruci joined them it would be way too awkward, he was Sonam's father too. After going over and over it in her head she knew in her heart, painful as it may be, she had made the correct decision.

"Anila, are you okay?" Karma asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everything is just fine. Why do you ask?" Anila put on a great big fake smile.

"Because you're crying." Karma told her, placing a comforting hand on Anila's shoulder.

Anila touched her cheeks, feeling the streaks under each eye, then whipped her face with the sleeve of her cloak then stared down at the rope in her hands. "I… I'm so sorry. I should have told you the first day we were at the festival grounds! It has been eating away at me! I have been so afraid to tell you… Please Karma, please forgive me!"

"Anila, whatever has been bothering… it can't be that bad. We are practically sisters! What could possibly be so bad that you were afraid to tell me?" Karma said in a soft comforting voice.

Anila slowly lifted her head until she was looking straight into Karma's milk chocolate brown eyes. Anila took a deep breath then began to tell Karma about what happened a few days ago, when she was playing with Aang in the huge grassy field just over the top of the hill. She told Karma about the conversation she had had with Amitaruci. She felt so guilty that her stomach was upset as she relayed everything that was said and what happened. After a long pause Anila started back up. "When I was gone… To say goodbye to someone, it was to talk with him once more… to tell him… I told him no…"

"Oh… well good." Karma said with a hint of annoyance. "I'm going to go lay down with Sonam, she is getting sleepy." Anila could tell that Karma was upset about everything Anila had told her, and Anila didn't blame her, she would have been upset too if she were in Karma's place… especially since Anila was the reason he didn't really care about Karma and Sonam at the festival two years ago.

Karma had always acted like she didn't care about Amitaruci, that what he did was no big deal. She acted like everything was great, but after being friends with Karma for as long as she has now Anila has learned Karma's little hints, things she does when she lies; like sometimes she quickly looks down at her hands the back up, avoiding eye contact. How she fidgets with her hair when she is nervous. Anila could tell that Karma was very upset, both girls wanted to be by themselves when they are upset. Knowing this, Anila let Karma be alone until she was ready to talk with her again.

Anila knew that Karma must have been just as in love with Amitaruci as she is. He is so handsome, he knew all the right words to say to get what he wanted from the beautiful girls he chooses. What a selfish jerk he was.

So what does he want from her now? What would he gain from being with her he said he loved her, but how can she trust him? He uses his words and looks to get what he wants, as far as she's concerned he was just trying to get something he wanted from her again. Not she, not Karma, not Sonam, nor Aang would benefit from him being around them.

Anila leaned back against her sky bison, holding her boy against her chest, she closed her eyes.

…

"Anila?" Karma's words woke her. "You fell asleep, Chesa set down near a slow moving river. Help me set up camp."

Anila's head was foggy with sleep. "What?" She asked as she sat up, Aang still laying on her chest.

"Chesa, landed… We were both asleep… It's almost dark, please help me set up camp." Karma said slower, letting Anila's brain proses the information better.

"Oh! I fell asleep! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Anila said scrambling to recover herself. "I'm so so so sorry!"

"It's okay Anila, everything is fine." Karma's words were sincere. "Let's get camp set up then we can go look for some fresh fruits for dinner."

"Okay." Anila was happy to see that Karma was no longer upset with her. Anila wanted to finish telling Karma what happened when she was gone, she wanted to let Karma everything but didn't want to push the issue. She decided to leave things alone until Karma asked about it, if she ever does.

Camp setup went quickly as they worked together, the sun would be going down shortly and they needed to find something to eat. The girls, babies strapped in their slings, began their search for things that they could eat tonight, and tomorrow morning. They had bags of dried fruits and nuts and grains and things like rice and oats they could make for dinner if they had to, but foraging was always the first thing they did, it's what they had been taught to do. They foraged for as long as they could before the sunlight was completely gone.

Karma started their camp fire as Anila picked all the stems and leaves out of the sack of food they found. They found berries, nuts, and some nicely ripened fruit. After dinner both girls cleaned up their little ones and put them to bed.

Anila was singing a soft lullaby to her baby boy as he drifted off to sleep. Anila crawled over to her spot to start her nightly meditation. She rearranged her pillow so she could comfortably sit on it. In the dim light coming through the small opening of her tent she noticed a small pouch that had been put under her pillow. Anila picked it up, it jingled as she shook it. She was a little confused she could have sworn Karma had the money pouch, but then after a few minutes she pushed it out of her mind; she must have put it under there to keep it from getting stolen and completely forgot that she did.

After about an hour of meditation Anila crawled out of her tent again, she placed another piece of wood on the fire. She watched as the flames danced on the wood, slowly turning it from brown to red then to grey. She had always loved to watch the campfire, its dance was so mesmerizing, it moved as if it were alive. She poked at the ash covered log rocking it back and forth dislodging the ashes that clung to it. The fire was brought back to life, embers radiating warmth.

Anila decided where to go… She wanted to go back to Ember Island, she really loved it there. She enjoyed the Fire Nation in the fall and winter, it stayed warm most of the time. Camping near the beach, beautiful flowers were everywhere, and the people there were so kind and friendly. She would talk to Karma about it in the morning, she placed one more log on the dancing flames before crawling back into her tent she laid down snuggling her little boy to her chest and drifted off to sleep.

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few seconds to leave me a review.**


	27. Chapter 26: Back to Ember Island

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 26**

This time of the year airbenders flocked to the Fire Nation. Most, however, don't go as far in as Ember Island.

"We are almost there!" Karma said from her seat on Chesa's head.

"Wonderful!" Anila said from the saddle. Anila and Karma had swapped seats hours ago, one flew while the other sat in the saddle with the little ones. Aang was a little over a year old and Sonam's second birthday was just before the Yangchan Festival. Both children were quite mobile so if they were not in their mother's laps they had to be supervised in the saddle. Anila had added an extra security precaution, they had bought a couple lengths of rope; tying one end around the child's waist and the other to the anchor points on the saddle's lip. "We should camp at the same place we did last year. The cove was secluded and the sea was beautiful."

"I wonder what ever happened to that guy… What was his name? I think it started with a Z." Karma asked Anila.

"There is a Z in most Fire Nation names." Anila laughed. "His name is Zakai."

"Well you sure were quick to answer that… I think someone likes him." Karma teased her best friend.

"No… I... I just… his name was easy to remember, that's all." Anila defended.

"If you say so." Karma laughed. "I wonder if he is still street performing in that little town."

Anila sighed softly, "Me too… I mean it would be nice to meet up with someone we know" Anila pushed her thoughts of him to the back of her mind just like she had since that morning they talked, before Karma had gotten up.

A short time later Chesa was gently touching down on the soft grass in the secluded cove Anila faced the beach, and the water at its shore only fifty feet from where they were. The two girls quickly set up came then took the fifteen minute walk into the town.

The town was more active than it had been the last time they visited. Fall had just arrived and there was still residual vacationers bustling around in the marketplace preparing to return to their regular lives back on the surrounding islands. The sound of applause caught her attention, she turned quickly to see a large crowd in a semicircle around something, or someone. Flames shot upward from the center. Her heart skipped I beat and butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she thought about Zakai. Taking Karma by the hand she worked her way to the front of the crowd. Her heart fell and her stomach felt sick as she saw the performer, they had long hair and was wearing a mask. She hadn't realized how much she like Zakai until this moment, if she didn't she wouldn't feel so bad about it not being him. They watched the rest of the performance then started to shop for the supplies they would need while they stayed on the island.

"Anila! Karma!" A voice called from across the square. Both turned to find the street performer removing his mask as he sprinted over to them. "I am so happy to see you both!"

"Hello Zakai!" Karma said with a bow.

"It is… nice to see you again." Anila said to him, her cheeks pinkened as she stared into his beautiful golden eyes. She had her little boy in her arms.

"Wow he's gotten big!" He said as he looked at Aang.

Welcoming the change of subject she smiled. "He is growing very fast!"

"Hello little man." Zakai said to Aang. Then he turned to Karma, whom was holding her two year-old daughter's hand. "It is great to see you again too Karma." He crouched down to look at Sonam, "She is as beautiful as her mother."

"Hi!" The little girl said then buried her face into her mother's skirts.

"We have a shy one!" He chuckled. "Where are you beautiful ladies staying?"

"Same place as last time… Would… Would you like to join us for dinner? We need to buy a few things then we will be heading back to the little cove." Anila informed him.

"That sounds beautiful… I mean wonderful." Zakai quickly corrected himself, his eyes were locked on to hers. "I… uuummmm… I just need to get my stuff together, it should only take a few minutes. Then I can help you carry your supplies back to your camp."

"That would be so very kind of you sir." Anila's smile grew larger and larger as she stared back at him.

"It should only take a few minutes for me to get my stuff together." He repeated himself.

"Yeah, that's what you said a moment ago." Anila giggled.

His cheeks also pinked just before returning to where the people had been watching him preform.

"I knew it!" Karma laughed, "I knew you liked him!"

"Okay… fine… I do, I really do. Ever since we talked that morning you slept in." Anila whispered to Karma.

"I didn't sleep in that morning, I heard you guys talking…. I let you have some time to talk, I could tell he liked you." Karma admitted.

"What?" Anila was a bit confused, she hadn't noticed he liked her like that. "How did you know he liked me?"

"All the complements he gave you." Karma told Anila.

"I thought… well the last person that said those things to me used me, he hurt me… So I guess I went into defensive mode." Anila explained.

"Let's do our shopping really quickly, then we can walk back to our campsite and you can 'chat' with Zakai." Karma teased.

The girls picked out beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables and a couple bags of rice, and other grains. After they were sure they had everything the needed it came time to pay, both girls reached into the folds of their robes. "I have the money pouch." Anila said.

"No you don't, I do." Karma told Anila.

"No, you put it under my pillow before we went out to find food. On the first night, the night I decided to come here." Anila reminded Karma.

"No, Anila I have it." Karma pulled a small pouch from inside her robes, shaking it to show Anila that Karma in fact had the money pouch.

"Then where did this come from?" Anila asked as she pulled the pouch she had found under her pillow, she too shook the bag showing Karma that she had a money pouch also.

"I… I don't know!" Karma was as confused as Anila was.

At that moment Zakai trotted up to the girls. "Okay, what would you like me to carry for you lovely ladies?"

Both girls put smiles back on, "I just need to pay for all this and we will be on our way." Karma told him, nudging Anila's arm.

"Oh! Uuummm… You could help me with these bags right here." Anila told him gesturing towards the two large bags.

"As you wish." He told her, her heart skipped a beat when he grinned at her, flashing his bright white teeth. He picked the first bag and hefted it onto his shoulder. Anila picked up the other, shifting it around to where she could carry it comfortably. "No, sweetie, I am too much of a gentleman to allow you to carry that." He took the second bag from her then hefted it onto his other shoulder.

Anila turned bright red when he used the word sweetie. "Th… Thank you!" She smiled back at him. She put her little boy in the readjusted sling and picked up the basket of fruits.

"Okay," Karma smiled, "We are ready to go." She picked up the second basket and the group walked back to the secluded cove.

When the group got back to the campsite they started rearranging the foodstuffs they had just bought, along with the supplies they already had.

"Oh no!" Karma said sweetly as she was preparing to cook. "I need some water, we forgot to get some on our way back. Would you two please do me a big favor? Could you take the pot and fill it with water? I'll watch the children while you guys are getting the water."

"Yeah! Sure!" Zakai said happily, by his smile Karma could tell that he was going to enjoy the one on one time with Anila. He grabbed the pot with one hand and took Anila's hand with his other.

Anila walked along with him, at the moment the only thing she could think about was the hand that was wrapped around her own. His hand was unusually warm, and surprisingly soft. His voice pulled her out of her daze, they had stopped walking. She didn't understand how she could have not noticed something as simple as stopping.

"Anila, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you… I can't go a single day without thinking of you… You're… How do I say this? You're amazing! You're beautiful! You're smart! I have been hopping, praying to the spirits that you would come back here… I didn't leave the island, not once. This was where we met and it was the only place that I think of… That if I stayed might see you again."

"You… You like me?" Anila was scared, her heart was pounding, her fight or flight instinct was kicking in. "But… but you don't know me…"

"Your right! I don't but I want to! I want to spend lots of time with you here!" He announced to her and to all the surrounding area, his voice echoed of the cove walls.

"I…" Anila began to pinken, "We… I… I decided to come her because… because I wanted to see you again."

Zakai's gold eyes went wide with shock. "You wanted to see ME! Oh Anila I am so happy… I… I don't even know what so say!"

Anila's bright eyes went dark, she dropped his hand and took several steps away from him backing herself into a tree.

"What… What's wrong Anila? Did… Did I say or do anything wrong?" Zakai watched as the young woman's body go ridged.

"I… I don't want to hurt again… I can't do it." Anila told him as she wrung her cloak in her hands.

"Huh?" Zakai was baffled as to what caused her to change so suddenly. "Did I do or say anything wrong?" His heart was breaking.

"The last…" Anila took a shaky breath. "The… The last man that said those words… he… he made me happy, and I gave him what he wanted… he took it and I will never have it back… He acted like he loved me… but…"

"But he didn't, did he?" Zakai knew where this was going. His heart broke for the beautiful young woman shook her head as she backed herself into a tree. Zakai knew quite a bit about animals, he has always held a fondness for small creatures, as a child he had his own pets, his real father had taught him how to care for them. Sometimes they got hurt and needed attention, hurt animals skittish and afraid, and at this moment the silvery-gray eyes he was looking into held that fear that he seen in the injured animals' eyes. He held his hands up and backed away, "I'm so sorry about what he did to you. That is unacceptable, Sweet Anila, I will never hurt you."

"He… He said that too." Tears began to pour down her cheeks. "I… I let him do things to me."

"Oh, Sweetie! He's your baby's father isn't he?" He softly asked her.

"Sonam's too." Anila said.

"Sonam? Karma's little girl Sonam?" Anila just nodded, Zakai was getting angry, what kind of a man would do this to beautiful young women. He made a decision and was going to take her response as what she wanted. He took a breath and closed the distance between them in two steps, he wrapped his arms around her and just held her nothing more. He smiled when he felt her arms close around him. "He will never hurt you again."

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	28. Chapter 27: Whispering Secrets

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 27**

"I promise you, that as long as I am near he will NEVER hurt you. He will never try to manipulate you again!" Zakai said in resolution. He softly pet her beautiful black shiny hair as he comforted the broken girl. "No wonder you went and hid in your tent last year."

The sobbing girl pressed her face deeper into his warm chest, she didn't even know this much pain had built up inside her. She was strong and independent, she didn't need anyone but herself… or so she had thought. Zakai's body was warm and comforting, his arms strong but gentle. Being wrapped in his embrace was the most wonderful thing she had ever felt. He wasn't holding her to make her think he loved her, he didn't want to manipulate her… Amitaruci had a goal, he told her he would never hurt her but he did hurt her, all he wanted was to take her innocence, to leave her venerable… But not Zakai, he was just holding her to support her to comfort her in this moment right here right now. Just holding her. After several more minutes her crying lessened then stopped all together.

"Zakai…" She asked as she pulled back enough to look into his beautiful golden eyes.

"Yeah, Anila." He responded staring back into her silvery-grey eyes.

"Please… please don't tell Karma I cried… I'm the strong one." Anila said to him.

"Okay I promise I won't tell her you cried." He smiled comfortingly down at her.

"Or about this." Anila went up onto her toes pulling him down to her, she softly pressed her lips to his for a moment then released him.

He stared down at her, he was shocked at her boldness. "I… I promise." He said softly, then he leaned down and kissed her again. His kiss was deeper, more passionate, and a lot hotter than hers had been. When he pulled away they were both left breathless, and a bit dizzy.

"Thank you!" She whispered against his lips, softly touching them with her own one more time.

"We better get the water before Karma starts to get suspicious." Zakai told her.

"I think she might already know…" Anila told him. "She sent US to get water… together."

"That doesn't mean anything." Zakai said to her.

Anila let out a short giggle, "On the way here she told me that she could tell you liked me."

"Well… she is very observant." He smiled handsomely at her.

She slipped her hand back into his, "We need to get the water… There are small children to feed."

"Then we better hurry… We can spend some time together later, maybe after they laydown tonight." He suggested.

They hurried to the freshwater spring and filled the large pot, and a couple water pouches. Trying to hurry back to camp. When they neared the clearing Zakai stopped and pulled Anila to him again. "Just one more, since we will have to wait a while to get anymore in." He chuckled softly as he touched his lips to hers. She her small hand rested on the back of his head as he leaned forward.

Her cheeks were red as he pulled away. "Your lips taste sweet." He told her, then he took her hand again, walking her into the clearing that their campsite was set up.

"Your cheeks are red." Karma pointed out with a laugh. "Did you enjoy the alone time?"

"I, uuummmm… We, uuummmmm." Anila honestly did not know what to say.

"Yes!" Zakai grinned widely.

"I thought you would." Karma laughed as she poured water into a smaller pot then set that one on the fire.

"I'm going to play with the little ones." Anila said as she walked over to her chubby baby boy, he was chewing on a wooden animal Karma had carved. "I got'cha!" She said as she scooped him up and hugged him, munching playfully at his neck causing him to burst into laughter and squeals. She tossed him lightly into the air and caught him. She looked briefly back at Zakai, he had been watching her play with the chubby little boy, and he had a huge smile on his face. Anila chased both Sonam and Aang around in the clearing, tickling them when she caught them. She looked back as Zakai every once in a while, he was watching her the entire time she played with the children. He never looked away and he was always smiling, she would start to blush then look away before he could see her face get to red.

"Dinner is ready!" Karma called to her.

Anila collected the two small children and brought them over to eat dinner. Karma had cooked a wonderful vegetable soup with rice. The Mommies spoon fed their babies while they ate their own dinner.

"You ladies are the first airbenders I've ever met." Zakai told them as he ate his food. "Actually, you two are the only airbenders I know."

"Well aren't you lucky!" Anila laughed.

"I do count myself lucky." Zakai blushed a bit. "Are all girl airbenders as beautiful as you two are?"

Karma let out a laugh. "Anila I think he really likes you!"

"KARMA!" Anila squeaked turning several shades of red.

"I think she's right." Zakai laughed.

"I… I… I need to put…" Anila started to stand up.

"Not this time!" Karma said as she pulled Anila back into a seated position. "Anila… you… you aren't like other airbenders. You need someone, someone who isn't a baby. You are strong and powerful you have kept us together… You need someone… I know that's why you talked to…" Karma trailed off, Anila didn't need Karma to finish to know what she was talking about. "I'll put the little ones down tonight, you two go for a walk or something."

Zakai stood up and offered Anila his hand, she let him be a gentleman and took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He lead her down to the beach, they walked the length of the beach for a while. "So… What all can airbenders do? I mean like oh look you made wind."

Anila started laughing, "I can do a lot more than make wind. That's like me saying Oh look you lit the campfire."

"I can do more than light a camp fire!" Zakai said with a chuckle. "Yeah I see now."

"Zakai, why were you wearing a mask in town?" Anila asked as they slowly walked.

"Because of my step-father… He's… He's been looking for me." A shadow crossed Zakai's face.

"Why?" Anila cautiously probed.

Zakai responded by only shaking his head.

"Okay… I won't ask again." Anila said, she rubbed her arms to create a little heat. "Have an idea, I can show you some of the things I can do!"

"I have an idea too!" Zakai collected a few pieces of driftwood that he dried quickly with the heat he created from his hands. Once dry he made a teepee shape then lit it with a ball of fire he created from his hand. "Oh look I lit the fire." They both laughed. He sat down next to the fire. "Come here" he said reaching for Anila's hand, she was shivering bit from the cold autumn breeze, gently guiding her to sit in his lap her back against his chest, he wrapped his warm arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Anila…"

"Yeah?" Anila asked.

"I promise I will never hurt you like he did." Zakai said as he interlaced his fingers with hers.

"I… I know you're not like him… and I do really like you but I have to think about more than just myself… I…" Anila was cut off.

"I know, your little boy is so cute… and I think you are such a great mother." He told her.

"He's… he's not a regular baby boy." Anila's tone turned a little sad.

"It's okay! I know, why don't you show me what an airbender can do tomorrow?" Zakai asked her.

"Seriously? You want to know what I can do?" Anila perked up.

"Yeah! Show me what you like to do! You've seen me preform a couple times now… Show me what you like to do!" Zakai told her.

"Okay, I'll show you tomorrow! Oh it's going to be so much fun!" Anila said excitedly.

"If I had known it would make you so excited, I would have asked you a while ago." Zakai laughed.

…

When Anila awoke Aang wasn't laying with her, she got startled, they were to close to the beach and she was afraid he had wandered out on his own. She jumped up and ran out of her tent "Aang!" She called as she came out.

"Look, I started the campfire!" Zakai said, he was holding the small boy in his lap. "He wandered out, I thought I'd better watch him until you got up."

"Why… Why didn't you get me up! I was scared to death, he could have wandered off… he could have…" Anila's voice caught for a second, "he could have drown!"

"I'm sorry, you're right I should have woken you up, but he's fine with me. I would never let anything bad happen to the children while I am around. I won't let any harm come to any of you when I'm around." Zakai told her.

…

After breakfast was done and morning chores were taken care of Anila started loading things up in Chesa's saddle. She had told Karma she was taking Zakai for a flight.

Zakai had been sitting in Chesa's saddle as the bison flew into the sky. When they reached a comfortable altitude Anila stood up and hopped into the saddle. She laughed the moment she saw Zakai hanging on tightly to the side of the saddle.

"You… You should sit down… We're… we're pretty high up." Zakai stammered a bit.

"You said you wanted to know what I like to do…" Anila sat next to Zakai, She started securing her baby sling in place, once everything was nice and tight she placed her little boy in it and stood up. She held her staff in her hand. "This! This is what I like to do." She stretched her arms and closed her eyes, feeling the air rush over her face and around her limbs.

"It's kind of dangerous Anila, maybe you should sit down." Zakai pleaded as he watched Anila take a few steps backwards.

"I'm fine, we're fine… I love being in the sky" Anila said to him.

"Ooo.. Okay, you showed me now let's go back to the beach." He said nervously.

Anila let out a laugh, "You think THIS is what I love to do! This isn't what I love doing, this is!" Anila stretcher her arms out, staff in hand and let herself free-fall backwards off of the bison's saddle.

"Oh, spirits! Anila!" Zakai quickly crawled to the edge of the saddle Anila had just fallen from, he scanned the area franticly looking for the girl. He started to panic when he couldn't see her. Suddenly something orange caught his eye, it wasn't falling it was rising, it flew straight up spiraling as it rose. He fell back in the saddle, after a moment of trying to figure out what the orange blur was he realized it was the girl. She was flying, soaring, twisting, doing barrel rolls, he could hear both her and the little boy strapped to her chest squeal in delight. After a little while the girl softly touched down back inside the bison's saddle.

"That is what I like to do!" She laughed.

"Well… I… I'd definitely have to say that's more than just making wind." He said still a little frightened.

Anila sat down next to him, "Wanna try?! It's so much fun! I can control the air around us, you don't have to be scared, I am actually quite powerful for an airbender."

"It was… It was scary, I thought you were falling!" He responded.

"I was falling, I love falling! It... It feels like… it feels like… uuummmm… oh how do I explain how it feels?" Anila was trying to think of the best. "It feels like…" She leaned in and kissed him… the kiss was hot and wild and passionate and it made both of their stomachs feel like they were falling.

"Wow… that felt nice… and exciting!" Zakai said. Anila just grinned at him.

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	29. Chapter 28: Sweet & Sour

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

* * *

**Chapter 28**

A full month had passed and Zakai ended up staying with the two young women and their children. 'To protect them' He justified. Anila was more than happy to have him close, he was a great 'campfire lighter'. There was a few times he walked into town to perform in the marketplace for some coin. Anila told him to not worry about it, but he insisted that it is a man's job to earn the money, to care for his loved ones. And he did love both Anila and her beautiful little boy very much. He was still getting use to the fact that the airbenders didn't eat meat, all life is sacred they told him.

Anila was kneeling in front of the bubbling pot of vegetable stew. She had a burlap bag beside her, she shook her head as she frowned, "We are going to have to share the bread loafs, there's not enough for each of us to have our own."

"Nila, I was in the village yesterday, why didn't you tell me to get some more?" Zakai asked her.

"It's not your job to care for us, Zak. I can make sure we are fed." Anila told him.

"You are my family now… I mean… well I love you and you know that right?" He asked her.

"Yeah… I love you too, Zaki." She smiled at him, her cheeks pinking a bit.

"Then to me, you are my family… You and this beautiful little boy!" Zakai said, he had Aang in his lap. The toddler babbled happily at the two smiling adults. "And Karma is such a great person, a bit pushy but great and well beautiful little Sonam, she's like a niece to me."

Karma grinned as she looked up from the small intricate animal she was carving. "You're welcome!" She called back to him.

"After lunch we can all take a walk into town to buy more supplies. What all do we need to get?" Zakai asked the young women.

"Oh, I'll go check the rest of the supplies in Chesa's saddle." Anila said airbending herself onto her feet.

"Wow!" Zakai said every time he saw her do it, it never got old. He loved watching her airbend, it was amazing, and she was always so free and happy; her smile was beautiful and her laugh was like music to him. She had taken him on a flight with her glider, he was afraid that with how heavy he was that they fall out of the sky, Anila didn't wobble or strain herself in anyway.

Even though it was autumn, the weather still felt like summer, Anila had shed her many layers of robes and cloaks down to a light, curve hugging dress. She even went without shoes unless they were going into the village.

Anila giggled at his little comment, in her own head, she was still a clumsy, awkward girl. She had no idea that she had grown up to be more beautiful than she could have dreamed in one of her wildest dreams. She started rummaging through the supplies, since they were settled in the area Chesa only had her saddle on when they wanted to go for a flight. "Okay, we need to get more rice, we are good on oats, more bread, the cheese curds are gone, and we need to get more fruits and vegetables… and… a small sack of flour."

"That shouldn't be too hard to carry back from the village, not with Zakai's help." Karma said as she was carving the fine details into the tiny wooden platypus bear she was making. The girls always got fair price for their handmade crafts here.

…

After lunch Anila put a lid over their stew and then she and Karma put their crafts into a basket. Zakai put Aang onto his shoulders as the three of them began the pleasant walk into the village. Anila carried the basket and Sonam rode on her mother's shoulders.

As soon as they entered the marketplace Zakai froze, across the market was two of his step-father's private police squad. He could see the paper they were hanging up around the village. Zakai quickly pulled his mask out of his bag covering his face.

"Those are the guys looking or you, aren't they?" Anila asked, gently squeezing his hand, she had a worried look on her face, she too, had seen the picture drawn onto the scroll.

"Yeah, they are." Zakai said quietly.

"Zaki, it will be okay, we will be as quick as possible, and I doubt they would ever expect to find you with a baby on your shoulders. For all they know you're his daddy." Anila comforted him.

"Yeah, I think you're right… But Nila, can… can I be his daddy?" Zakai managed.

Anila drew in a sharp breath, "You... You want… but he's not…"

"Nila, I do want that, I want it more than I have wanted ANYTHING in my life… I kinda would love to stay with you for the rest of our lives… You told me airbenders don't marry, but once I get everything in order, well…" Zakai's face turned red as he mumbled to the beautiful young woman. "When I get everything straightened out I'll really like to marry you. I love you more than you could ever imagine."

Both Anila and Karma's jaws dropped. "But… but we hardly even know each other!"

"I spent a year waiting in this tiny village the only thing I could think of was how beautiful you are and your voice, it's like music… And Aang. To me, it didn't matter to me how far apart we were'; you were the first thing I thought about in the mornings and the last thing I thought about at night, I am lovesick and the only antidote is to spend the rest of our lives together." Zakai rambled on.

"Zakai, Air Nomads don't believe in love, we don't marry, and we strive for pure enlightenment and rid ourselves of all earthly attachments." Anila's started.

"Oh," Zakai's face fell.

"No, no, no, Zaki," Anila quickly put in, seeing his sad expression broke her heart. "That's not where I was going. Ever since I was little they always drilled into us that Love is forbidden. It never stuck with me, I could never freely give up a child of mine either. I would love to spend the rest of my life with you." Her cheeks pinked as she gave him a shy smile as she thought about giving him children.

The three of them finished selling their crafts and purchasing their supplies, and were ready to head back where a hooded firebender stopped Zakai to talk to him. "Zakai, he's getting closer, someone told him you were last seen here." The man told him.

Zakai took a deep breath of air then blew it out. "Nila, I need to talk to my friend. I'll still carry the bags of rice, but I need you to take Aang… I'll be only a couple minutes behind, I promise, I love you." He managed a handsome smile that Anila knew was fake but right now he needs to talk in private and she knew it.

"Okay Zaki," she softly kissed him good bye then took her son from him, placing the child in her sling. "I love you too! I'll see you in a little bit."

…

The two girls were just returning to their campsite, they were both laughing. Karma had just told Anila how cute 'Zaki and Nila' were together. When they entered the clearing they both stopped and froze. Anila was NOT happy at what she saw, very familiar tall airbender was standing by the tents, she felt anger bubbling up when she saw Zakai's bedding had been kicked around. "What do you want?"

"I've been watching you… You have been a naughty girl! Playing with that firebender!" His tone scared both Anila and Karma.

"Karma, take Aang and go back to the village as fast as you can and get Zakai. Please hurry!" Anila said as she handed her baby boy the frightened young woman.

"Okay, we'll be back as soon as we can." Karma said then took of running as fast as she could with two babies in her arms.

Anila turned back to face him. "You have no right telling me what I can and can't do. Go away and leave like you're good at doing."

"I claim my right as the child's father! If you're a good girl and ask for my forgiveness I'll be nice and take you back." Something was off about him and it scared Anila.

"What is wrong with you?" Anila snapped, "You have no claim over me, you can't tell me what to do! And furthermore you have NO claim over MY baby."

"Sweet, beautiful one," His tone completely changed and he had a sad look in his eyes, "You're not thinking straight right now, and you know you love me. I promise to stay with you and care for you."

"What in the world are you talking about, I'm not thinking straight?" Anila took a few steps back as he advanced towards her.

"You… you told me no… no woman has ever told ME NO!" Amitaruci had a look of pity in his eyes, advancing another few steps closer to her, "So I knew that you weren't thinking straight."

She took a few more steps backwards, "You are the one not thinking straight. I told you no because you hurt me and I can't let you do that again. I can't let you hurt Aang either, I'm only going to say this nicely once more so listen to me carefully. You have no right telling me what I can and can't do. You have no claim over Aang, you weren't there to care for me when I needed the most help, you weren't there when he was born. You wanted NOTHING to do with him until you saw there was something special about him. I don't need you, I don't want you, Leave Us Alone!"

"Didn't you enjoy my little gifts?" He asked her.

"Gifts? What are you talking about?" Anila hadn't accepted any gifts from him.

"The money, silly girl," He chuckled, "I left it under your pillow." Before Anila had realized it she was backed against a tree, Amitaruci reached up and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "So beautiful!" He said as he eyed her up and down, "Your body filled out nicely." He told her commenting on her thin light body hugging dress she was wearing.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She yelled as she bit his hand, she felt trapped, behind her was one of the sets of cliffs that kept the area private.

Anger appeared on his face, "You little slut!" He yelled as he slapped her face, leaving a red handprint and a split lip.

She shoved him away from her with a strong blast of air, throwing him backwards and on to the ground.

His head hit the ground hard, he wiped a bit of blood from his lip; he had bitten it when he landed on his back. He airbent himself back up and charged her again. He stopped when a wall of fire went up between him and Anila.

"Do not ever touch her again!" Zakai yelled as he entered the clearing. He was quickly at Anila's side checking to make sure she was okay. "Karma get a clean rag and help Anila!" Then he turned back to Amitaruci. "Why are you here? Don't you have some girl half your age to seduce you sick pervert!" He yelled, advancing on Amitaruci. Zakai's knuckles popped as his fist connected with Amitaruci's face. "How do you like being hit?" He yelled.

"How dare you, you stupid ash maker!" Amitaruci said as he shook of the hit. "You are going to regret that!"

"You're going to regret coming here!" Zakai told him, he shoved Amitaruci towards his sky bison.

"All you are doing is making her punishment worse boy I suggest you leave now!" Amitaruci yelled furiously.

The fire inside Zakai had grown hot with anger, flam daggers grew from his clenched fists. "I will personally make sure that you NEVER touch her again!"

"I will do as I wish!" Amitaruci spouted furiously, "I have every right being here that baby is my son!" Aang had become scared from all the shouting, his cries echoed through the clearing, a windstorm was beginning to brew.

"And that beautiful little girl is your daughter, you show no interest in her or Karma!" Zakai yelled as he readied himself to protect the woman and the child he had fallen so deeply in love with.

"They are nothing, to me!" Amitaruci yelled.

Zakai watched as Karma face twisted in shock and heartbreak as she held her daughter against herself. "How could you do that to this girls? Do you even realize that you break their spirit doing that?"

"I don't care, I get what I want. What you will never have from her what I had." Amitaruci smirked as he gloated.

"So what! Do you know what I will have that you never will get from her? He love!" Zakai was done, he wasn't going to let this man upset his new family. Zakai charged, fire daggers ready, he did a spinning fire kick, flames flew out in all directions. Amitaruci jumped out of the way but Zakai's fire caught the bottom of Amitaruci's robes on fire. The robes were quickly thrown to the ground, Zakai took this moment to, make sure everyone was okay before returning fight.

Amitaruci send a hard blast of air out throwing Zakai backwards. He recovered quickly, jumping back up, flames roared around them as Zakai's anger grew. "Leave, Us, Alone!" Zakai Yelled as he directed fireball after fireball after fireball at Amitaruci. "You will never have her again! She is with me now and I WILL do whatever it takes to keep her and MY new son SAFE!" As he yelled he jumped kicked and spun around Amitaruci tripped over a rock as he backed away, tripping and falling to the ground. Zakai inched a flame dagger closer and closer to Amitaruci's face "I should mark you for life! Take away your tool you use to get the girls to do what you want! Good thing I'm not like you, taking away part of someone. I am letting you go because I love Anila and I respect her beliefs. Get the hell out of here, and if you do come back I WILL mark you!"

Amitaruci got up as soon as Zakai backed off, he jumped up onto his bison's head and took off as quickly as they could manage. His cheeks still red from the heat of Zakai's fire daggers.

Zakai ran over to Anila, who was trying to calm Aang down, Zakai now realizing the wind whipping all around them. He surveyed Anila's face, assessing the damage Amitaruci inflicted. Her lip was bleeding, she had a huge red welt across her cheek and the skin under her eye was starting to darken. "I'm so sorry Nila! I'm so, so, so sorry! I should have been here, I should have protected you!" He pulled her and Aang into his chest.

Anila felt safe in his arms, her ear pressed against his chest, she heard his erratic breathing then his body shuttered and Anila knew he was crying for her. "I love you" She told him

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	30. Chapter 29: Always and Forever

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

**...**

**Chapter 29**

"Ssshhhhhh!" She bounced a scream baby boy trying to calm him. "It's okay, little one. The mean man is gone now. We will be okay now." It felt like their campsite was in the middle of a massive wind storm. Both mother and child were still wrapped in the strong warm embrace of the sweet and loving firebender.

"Ssshhhhhh." Zakai joined in the child's frightened cries tore at his heart too. As the infant calmed so did the wind storm. Anila noticed but Zakai had made no connection between the child's wailing and the severity of the storm.

"Here" Karma said as she handed Zakai a clean cloth and pouch of water.

"Thank you." He said as released Anila and Aang, accepting the items. He poured a little water on the corner of the rag, as he began to clean up the blood on Anila's face, Karma took charge of the baby boy.

"Thank you so much, Zak. Thank you for helping us. I love you so much." Anila told him as he gently dabbed at her split lip.

"I should have stayed with you… I'm so, so sorry." He told her.

"It's not your fault." Anila told him. "We went ahead, you had to talk to your friend, and we had no idea that he was going to show up."

"My friend and what he told me was nowhere near as important as you and Aang are to me. I love you both so v3ery, very much." He said then softly kissed the cut on her lip.

"Did you really mean what you said?" She asked him.

"What did I say, Nila?" He asked.

"That you feel like Aang is your son, I mean that you love him like he is?" Anila asked him.

"Yes, I meant every word that I said." He told her staring deeply into her silvery eyes.

"Zak…" Anila smiled tears stung her eyes. "Let's get married."

Zakai chuckled softly. "We talked about it already, we said we would."

"I mean now!" She told her knight in shining armor. "I want to right now! I don't want to be without you… Ever!" Anila declared.

"Are…" Zakai was caught off guard, "Are you sure? Really, Really, REALLY sure?"

"YES! I'm one hundred percent sure, I have never been so sure about anything than I am right now!" She wrapped her arms around his neck placing a kiss on his lips. The sharp sting on her lip made her recoil, she had forgotten about her lip.

"Oh Nila, I'm sorry." He said as he softly kissed the stinging cut.

"I'll… I'll be okay Zak." She smiled shyly. "I forgot it was there."

"I'm going to run into town… I need to find someone to perform the ceremony." He told her.

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you right here." Anila told him, then softly kissed him goodbye.

Zakai picked up Aang and cuddled his new son, "I'll be back little one." He set the boy down and turned back to his mother. "I'll come back as soon as I find someone."

"Okay." Anila said, he cheeks pinked at the man that would soon spend the rest of her life with.

"I'll be back soon Nila." He said then went as quickly as he could in the direction of the town.

"I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!" Karma squealed as soon as Zakai was out of view.

Anila's pink turned red, she hadn't thought about Karma or her feelings about everything that had happened, including the fight. "I hope you are okay with it!"

"I am Anila, I am so excited." Karma smiled widely

"I want you to stay with us still, you are my sister and I never want you to feel left out." Anila told her.

"I want to stay with you Anila, you are the only person that I have ever grown really close to." Karma said. "Besides, eventually you will need a midwife."

Anila hadn't thought about THAT part of a traditional marriage, she was now crimson red. "I… I… Uuummm…."

"Its fine, Anila. It's nothing new to either of us." Karma laughed out loud. "I'll have Aang sleep in Sonam and my tent tonight and any other night you want him too."

Anila smiled, "Karma… You are such a wonderful woman, thank you so much." Anila hugged her sister.

"Anila, you have done so much for me, more than anyone has before." Karma told her. "Mow let's get you dressed, so that when he gets back you will be ready."

"Karma… I want you to come with us, I want you to stand with me." Anila smiled.

"It would be an honor to stand with you." Karma wiped a single tear, which had escaped, from her cheek. "Now, let's clean you all up and change your clothes and do your hair."

…

By the time Zakai got back to their campsite Anila was dressed in a beautiful, light flowing, dress. Her hair had flowers and ribbons weaved through it with one of her beautiful flower wreathes atop her head like a crown. Her face was carefully painted with the pulp of crushed berries, leafs, and flowers. Unfortunately the bruise and cut on her lip was still very visible.

Zakai stopped dead in his tracks, his breath caught when he had seen Anila. "Oh spirits, you are so beautiful Nila!"

"Did…" Anila started to blush again. "Did you find someone to marry us?"

"Yes, I have a friend that is a Fire Sage. He said he will marry us right away." Zaki told her. "Are you almost ready to go?"

"We are all ready." Anila and Karma said at the same time.

Zakai bent over and picked Aang up then took hold of Anila's hand, the group began their walk into town.

Once they reached town Zakai pulled a hood over his head then cautiously navigated them through town. A few times Anila could have sworn they were walking in circles. After about fifteen minutes looping through town avoiding streets that had dark alleyways near them they reached a small fire sage monastery near the center of town.

Once inside they were meet by surprisingly young fire sage. He bowed to them all the sage looked Anila up and down, pausing as he noticed the bruise on her cheek and her split her lip. "Hello, young woman, may I speak with you alone." He asked her, concern was very clear in his voice.

They walked a few yards away then stopped. "Did he do that to you?" He asked her gesturing to her face. "We can protect you if he did."

Anila's hand came up and touched her bruise, "no… No he didn't do this. He saved me from the sorry excuse of a man that did."

"Okay, with that settled lets go marry you two!" He waved to Karma and Zakai to follow. He led them to a beautiful garden with a small alter in the middle.

Zakai handed Aang to Karma and joined his fire sage friend and the woman he loved dearly at the center of the garden. He took Anila's small soft hands in his, Gold eyes staring into silvery ones, Silver eyes staring into golden ones. Anila's smile grew exponentially standing with the young man she couldn't get out of her thoughts, the one she was afraid would try to do what Amitaruci did. The young man that protected her, that cried when she was hurt… The young man that wants to be Aang's daddy, not because he's special but because he truly loved the miniature airbender.

The sage began. "Do you promise to protect Anila from and danger or harm that may come your way? To feed and provide for her, to take care of her when she's sick? To love her until the day that your time in this life end?"

"Always and forever!" Zakai smiled even wider than he did before.

"Beautiful Anila, do you promise to honor Zakai, as your husband? To bare him children and care for your family? To care for him when he is sick, to always love him, to provide for your family when he cannot? To always be by his side, through good times and bad? Through happy times and hardships? Until your time in this life ends?" The sage asked her.

"Always and forever!" She answered.

"As a Sage in the Fire Nation I pronounce you husband and wife! Zakai, my friend, you may now kiss you beautiful wife!" The Sage proclaimed.

Zakai leaned down and softly kissed his beautiful bride. "I love you with every bit of myself Nila."

Her eyes sparkled as she softly kissed him again. "I love you more than you could ever dream."

"Zakai, Anila, I need to talk to you both." The sage said to them. "With everything that is going on right now, as a favor to you Zakai, I have to make a record of this but for you I can bury the record right away, it will be one hundred years before the record surfaces."

"Thank you so much friend." Zakai told the sage as they did a half hug slapping each other's backs.

"As for an airbender marrying, well that's just extremely unorthodox." The sage said.

"Yes, I know! I love Zakai more than pure enlightenment." Anila blushed a bit. "He loves my son as much as I do, and I want to give him his own children too."

"One more thing Zakai," The sage began. "If the rumors are true, you better leave this island quickly. Do you have enough fare for a boat to another island for your newly expanded family?"

"We don't need it!" Anila said right away.

"It would be wise to move on." The sage told her.

"We don't need it, I have Chesa." Anila responded quickly, "She's my sky bison, we don't need to worry about fare. We can go ANYWHERE in the world you want to Zak."

"Let's just move to another island for now Nila." Zakai told her.

"Okay, Zak, we will do that." Anila told him.

"Congratulations, Anila and Zakai! I am so happy for you both!" Karma told him.

"Thank you so much Karma, thank you for giving her the push she needed to make herself truly happy!" Zakai said as he accepted his new son.

**Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few seconds to leave me a review.**

**(A/N I want to let all my readers know that this story was my entry in a Long Haul writing contest, and it has won First Place! This does NOT mean I'm done with it, there is still lots to be written still.)**

.


	31. Chapter 30: Secrets Shared

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 30**

Zakai felt like he was walking on air, he had never been this happy before. He loved his pre-started family, his beautiful silver-eyed new wife, and his wonderful, almost always happy new son. They now belonged to him and he was going to do everything in his power to keep them both happy and safe. They had already began their walk back through the small town avoiding some streets and cutting down some alleys. "Anila I feel so happy right now!" Zakai told her.

"I do too! I feel as if I could float away!" Anila told him.

"Can…" Zakai had a confused look on his face. "Can you do that?"

"No!" Anila laughed at his comment. "We can't do that… Well actually there was one man, a guru, he could… But only because he rid himself of all earthly attachments, he reached true enlightenment."

"That sounds fascinating." Zakai told her.

"I could never do it… I have what many airbenders consider a major flaw." Anila told him.

"You are completely flawless to me, Nila." He told her.

"Thank you Zak." She laughed. "My flaw is that I love."

"How in the world is love a flaw?!" Zakai was shocked.

"I don't care, to be honest with you." His new wife told him. "I love to love, it makes me so happy… I need to take you to see my guardian, the woman that raised me."

"Anila, they wouldn't allow him on the temple grounds! Nobody but Airbenders are allowed!" Karma told them.

"Oh yeah…"Anila's mood saddened. "I forgot about that."

"We could make him male Air Nomad clothes!" Karma suggested excitedly. "It will be easy for us to do."

"It would! And many places sell the right material to make them!" Anila was excited again about taking her new husband to meet her mother.

By the time they got back to their campsite they were all tired and Anila's feet hurt. She sat down and started pulling her high boots off, Zakai Sat down and helped he rid herself of the tight footwear. "Thank you so much, Zak, I hate shoes!"

"You're welcome, MY Nila!" He said with a toothy grin.

"MY Zak!" She answered back.

Anila and Karma started working together to prepare the family's dinner. Nothing super special, just soup and bread; the girls cleaned, pealed, and cut the vegetables. Zakai was playing with his new son and niece, as the girls worked.

"Anila," Karma whispered. "Are you going to tell him about Aang being the Avatar?"

"I… I don't know right now, Karma. I mean I should, we are married now and he has every right to know. Maybe he could even help me protect Aang, I'm kinda scared too. I don't want him to think I'm crazy, or delusional." Anila told her.

"Anila, he loves you and Aang more than anything, and he protected you both when Amitaruci came after you." Karma reminded her. "I really think you should tell him."

"I will." Anila sighed "I'm not sure how to tell him… or when."

"I'll watch Aang tonight, you guys can go on a 'walk' later; you could tell him then." Karma blushed a bit causing Anila to turn bright red.

"KARMA!" Anila was shocked Karma would even mention anything that even referred to that sort of thing. Her shriek caught Zak's attention.

"What's wrong?" He called over to them.

"Oh! Nothing! Nothing Zak!" Anila was bright red and he thought he knew what Karma may have said, which added a little tint to his own cheeks.

"O… Okay." He told her.

"See! Even he blushed!" Anila told Karma.

"You know you've been thinking about it!" Karma smirked.

"Well… yeah…but… but… it's not the right time." Anila told her.

"What makes it 'not the right time'?" Karma asked her. "It's not your cycle, so don't try to use that one!"

"I just… I'm really nervous, Okay!" Anila admitted, causing Karma to break out laughing.

"You have a baby! We have babies, we both know exactly how to get them. If anything atleast you know what you're doing!" Karma told her.

"Okay, okay! Just please stop talking about it." Anila told her.

"Okay, I'm done." Karma laughed at how uncomfortable Anila was.

Once all the vegetables were prepped, the girls dumped them into a pot of boiling water adding a few seasonings until it smelt delicious. Anila sat down next to Zakai leaning against him. "It has been along but wonderful day." She told him.

"It was better than wonderful, minus the insane man that hurt you." He scowled as he remembered seeing the airbender hit the beautiful young woman he took as his wife.

"Yeah… that was bad." Anila whispered against him.

"But I saved you, Nila!" He hissed her cheek.

"Yeah, you did! Thank you so much, you have no idea how much I love you." She told him.

"About as much as I love you, I bet."

"We love him don't we Aang?" Anila brushed the little boy's frizzy black hair with he r fingers.

"Da da da da!" The tiny airbender babbled.

"See we love you very much Zak! " Anila laughed.

"Dinner is ready!" Karma called over to the new little family.

"Okay, we'll be right over." Anila called back.

They joined Karma and Sonam around the fire, Anila ladled vegetable soup into two bowls. One she handed to Zakia and the other she shared with her precious little boy.

"So Zakai," Karma said quickly sticking her tongue out at Anila before he saw. "I told Anila I'll watch Aang tonight, you two can go on a walk." Anila scowled at Karma.

"Oh… uummm… Thanks, I guess." He said nervously, he now knew exactly why Anila yelled at her.

"Karma!" Anila snapped.

"No, it's fine Nila." Zakia put his hand on hers. "You both have beautiful little ones, obviously you both know what comes next. Thank you for your kindness."

"I have something to tell you, too Zak." Anila told him.

"Yeah, I guess I have some things I should tell you now that it's not just me that I need to worry about anymore." Zakai told her nervously.

After they finished their meal, Anila and Zakai cleaned up while Karma put the little ones to bed in her tent. She also put together a basket and beach blanket for when they sat down to talk.

It didn't take long to get all the nightly chores done, once they were complete Anila and Zakai started walking down the vacant beach, it was a full moon and it reflected beautifully on the ocean beyond. After walking in silence for a while Anila spoke up. "I… I have a secret that only a few others know." She told him, their fingers were laced together.

"Okay, are we ready to share our most closely guarded secrets?" Zakai had stopped walking.

"I think so… I think so." Anila felt really anxious at the moment. Zakai released her hand and spread the blanket down on the soft sand. They both sat down facing out to see.

"I… I'll start." Anila said softly. "What did you think of that windstorm we had earlier?"

"It was kind of odd I guess." He didn't understand how a windstorm was relevant.

Anila took a deep breath, Zakai could see in the moonlight that Anila was scared and on the verge of tears. "My Nila, don't cry, what's wrong?"

"It was Aang." She barely managed.

"What are you talking about?" He kissed the back of her hand, showing her that she was important to him.

Anila took a few deep breaths and began again. "The windstorm was created by Aang."

"Huh?" Zakai asked. "He's just a baby still."

"He came suddenly the night Avatar Roku died." Anila explained. "He wasn't supposed to come for a few more weeks."

"What does that mean?" Zakai asked her.

"He's the Avatar. Please don't think I'm crazy, you have no idea how much I wish he wasn't!" She told him, she could no longer hold back the emotions she held back.

"Are you sure?" He asked, he was ready to believe it. Anila nodded her head.

"Right before we meet you last year, we stopped at Avatar Roku's temple, Chesa was tired and we were all thirsty… They were taking us to the kitchen to get some water when Sonam ran into a room with a huge crystal in it, when I went in to get her, Aang's proximity to the crystal made it glow a blinding light. And when that one glowed, so did all of them around the world." Anila pressed her palms against her eyes. "Karma and I… and HIM, suspected it from when he was only a few months old."

Zakai sat silently, his new wife wrapped in his warm embrace. "Is that why he won't leave you alone, and why he doesn't care about Sonam?" She only responded by nodding her head.

"I promise to always protect you and Aang, no matter what comes our way." Zakai told her. "We are better as two then we ever were as one."

"They'll take him from me!" Anila's sobs wracked her body.

"What?! Why!?" He asked.

"Because they believe he would be better trained in one of the Air Temples raised by monks."

"I'll hide you here in the Fire Nation! He's my son now too, I don't care what it takes to keep him with you!" Zakai said firmly.

"How can you hide us here if you are hiding yourself?" Anila asked him.

"I guess it's my turn to share my secret." Zakai told her. "Why I am hiding…" Anila gave him her full attention. "My father was a great General in the Fire Nation military, he was highly favored by Fire Lord Sozin. He amassed great wealth working right under the Fire Lord. He went away, a special 'training" assignment. There was some sort of freak artillery accident and he was killed. His second in command delivered the horrible news…" Zakai's eyes were now beginning to tear up too. "He stayed nearby to help us get passed the grieving. It was great at first, then not too much later he and my mother married. He quickly tried to take my father's fortune. My father wasn't a stupid man, he hired a lawyer and made out a Will. My mother got nothing in the event of his death, I got everything… Including what I thought was the ratings of a man driven mad. One night I sat down and actually read it. He often referred to his second in command as a greedy man, he wanted everything my father had, including my mother. I got stupid and confronted him about it… Now he's after me, I think he's trying to find me and kill me, so that he can get all the money."

"Why did you stay here when you realized he might have tracked you down, why didn't you hide somewhere else?" She asked him.

"I couldn't… I stayed here, hoping the beautiful young woman that gave me a gold piece would come back; this is where we last saw each other." Zakai told her.

"She came back here hoping she would find him here." Anila told him.

"Now they have each other, I know we are stronger together than we ever were alone." Zakai told her.

"I love you so much Zakai, you have no idea how happy you make me feel!" Anila told him.

"The only thing I could think about all that time was you, my Nila." He told her.

"I thought about you a lot too." Anila told him.

…

* * *

*****XXX NEXT CHAPTER IS A LEMON XXX*****

**This one is for you, Luz!**

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	32. Chapter 31: Magic of the Full Moon (XXX)

**XXX*** Lemon***XXX**

* * *

**THIS CHAPTER IS A LEMON, AND ONLY A LEMON, FOR ADULTS EYES ONLY. IF YOU WANT TO SKIP IT YOU CAN. YOU WILL NOT MISS ANYTHING IF YOU SKIP PASSED IT. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL PLOT WISE.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED THE CHARACTERS IN ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED NICKELODEON. HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH THE WRITERS OR ANIMATORS OF ATLA. I HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH NICKELODEON.**

**Please Read &amp; Review**

**This one is for you, Luz!**

…

**Chapter 31 (XXX)**

Anila turned to face Zakai, "Now that we get that out of the way, I'm ready for what comes next."

"What comes next? What do you mean?" Zakai was oblivious to what Anila was hinting at.

Anila crawled into his lap and sat down, wrapping her legs around him. "This is what comes next." She started untying her robes tossing them to the edge of the blanket. Zakai's eyes went huge when he realized what she meant, he wasn't really sure what to do. "Would you like to help me with these?" She had a wickedly lustful grin as she leaned in and started hissing him heavily. She purred softly when she felt him bravely slipped his hand under her top and softly kneaded her breast.

She quickly threw the rest of her of her robes aside revealing her flawless body. "So beautiful!" He told her as he gently brushed his fingertips over her soft smooth skin, he had no idea how beautiful her body was under her layers of robes. He barely heard his new wife laugh softly, "It's your turn."

"Wha-" His mind was lost in the flare of her hips, her slender waist and her beautifully proportioned bust. She giggled then pulled his shirt over his head.

"It's your turn to take off your clothes." She told him, her fingers working to undo his pants.

"But… Are you sure this is what you want right now? I am absolutely positive this is what I want right now." She told him with hooded eyes.

"I… I don't." He started to say.

"Don't be nervous sweetie, don't worry about not knowing what to do. I'll do everything, you just lay back… You can touch anything you want." She began kissing him, heavily, guiding him back slowly onto the blanket.

"Are… are you sure?" He stammered.

"Don't worry." She kissed him one last time before adjusting herself over him, moaning softly as she slid herself down around him, he gasped at the hotness inside her. She started rocking slowly, letting out small gasps every time she took his whole length inside her. He growled as she moved faster, coming down around him harder, driving him deeper and deeper inside her, she called out to him and her core burned for him. Electric shocks went up her spine as his hardness stroked her sensitivity within. As the pressure built within her, her cries became louder, she threw herself backward arching her back as an explosion went off inside her.

He clamped his eyes shut and his fingers clutched tightly to her thighs, looking for something to grasp as his fireworks went off in his mind, he gasped as his shaft pulsed within her. He gasped for air, he had never felt anything like this in his life. When he finally opened his eyes she as still sitting on him, still inside her warm center, she was smiling down at him. "I love you so much Zakai. You make me feel so wonderful"

All he could think of was "Uh hum!"

Anila giggled as she laid down next to him on the blanket. After a little while Zakai rolled onto his side and started lightly running his hands over her soft skin again. His hand stopped on her breast, he kneaded it gently, feeling it squish in his hand; he moved to her other, kneading it as the one before. Anila closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his hot hand on her naked flesh. She gasped out loud and his hot tongue rolled over her hard nipple. His hand slid down to her waist and he pulled her against himself pressing her cool flesh against his hot body.

He got up and rested himself on his knees between her legs. He memorized every inch of her skin in the light of the full moon. He came down on top of her, pushing himself inside her. She moaned for him as he began thrusting hard, soon she was calling out begging for more, for him to go harder, faster, her fingernails dug into his flesh as the pressure built within her. As she cried out he felt a hot gush come from within her within moments he felt himself throb hard, pushing himself deep inside her with each throb. He rolled off of her before he collapsed on top of her.

They laid still, as they brought their erratic breathing into a more rhythmic pattern. After a short while they both dressed, picked up their blanket and headed back to camp.

The fire was almost out and Karma was already asleep. They added a few pieces of wood to the fire then went inside Anila's tent, they laid together, in each other's arms; they quickly drifted off to sleep.

…

**A/N Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few moments and leave me a review! The More Reviews I Get the Sooner I'll Update!**


	33. Chapter 32: Time to meet Mom

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 32**

"Good morning My Nila, breakfast is ready!" Zakai told her.

A smile appeared on her face, but her eyes remained closed. "Good morning my husband." Zakai's smile widened then leaned over and kissed her soft pink lips. Her arms came up and wrapped around him; she pulled him against herself and deepened the expression of love. When she released him her lips were pinker, "I love you."

"I love you too." He told her. "I made breakfast and helped dress OUR son."

"I love how that sounds." She told him as she opened her eyes.

"I love saying it, now up before OUR son gets angry and creates a huge storm." Zakai told her.

"I know, believe me I know." Anila told him. "I feel so safe with you."

"I will always protect my family, I need to see how badly your face is bruised, I need to see about you lip..." He was cut off by her firmly pressing her lips to his again.

"My lip is fine." she told him.

"I guess so." He chuckled, then snuck in one before crawling out of their tent, Anila following behind.

"Mamama!" Her little boy squealed as he ran to her.

"Did you miss me?" Anila asked as she cuddled her baby boy to her, kissing him all over his face causing him to erupt in laughter.

"I'll go get so clean water, I need to doctor my wife." Zakai said smiling down at them.

"Okay, hurry back!" She blushed, she felt like she was floating on a cloud.

"You are glowing with happiness." Karma said as she handed Anila a bowl of freshly cut fruit and chees curds.

"I am… He… he makes me happy. I feel so safe when he is around." Anila said.

"He deserved worse than what Zakai did to him." Karma told her, both knew who she meant by 'he'. "Zakai should have scared him so he couldn't do to other girls what he did to us."

"The spirits will give him what he deserves." Anila laughed at what she had just said. "Karma!"

The girls were feeding the little ones when Zakai got back. "Where are some clean rags Nila?" He asked.

"There should be some in Chesa's saddle." Anila called to him.

Zakai rummaged through Chesa's saddle, which was currently sitting on the ground. He found a small bundles of cloth, then sat down next to his wife. He gingerly took hold of her chin tilting her face so that he could assess the extent of bruising on her face. "Oh my poor Nila, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have stayed in town, I should have been with you."

She could see the pain and sorrow in his eyes as they began to fill with tears. "I'll be fine Zak. I just know you will be a good doctor." Anila smiled, which made him smile too

"I'll be the best doctor in the world." Zakai told her.

A sound caught their attention, causing them to whirl around in the direction of the sound, Zakai took a solid fight stance prepared to protect his family. The voice of a man cut through the stand of trees that was the only entrance into the private beach. "Zakai! Zakai! Where are you! I need to talk to you!" Zakai recognized it as the friend he was talking to just yesterday.

"I'm right here!" He called back, however he didn't abandon his stance. Anila handed Aang off to Karma who brought the children into her tent; then joined her husband in her own solid fighting stance.

The man emerged from the trees, "Zakai I need to… Whoa!" The man stopped dead and held his hands in to show he was no threat. "Zakai, it's important! Can we talk alone?" He asked gesturing with his head to join him in the trees.

"No!" Zakai answered. "She is staying by my side."

"Zakai, this is no time to involve some girl…" He began

"Wife!" Anila said.

"Wait, what?! Wife?" He looked extremely confused. "When did you get a wife?"

"Last night." Zakai answered. "We went to see the Fire Sages at the temple in town."

"I knew you had a girlfriend but I had no idea she was an Airbender." His friend said.

"That doesn't matter, I love her…" He looked at her, "She's the whole reason I never left the island, every day I hoped she'd come back looking for me… and she did."

"Her?! She's the girl you were so mad at yourself for scaring off…" He said. "Anyways, I came to tell you that your stepfather ship docked on the Island this morning. You need to get out of here as fast as you can… you aren't going to be able to take a ship out, there are men everywhere."

"No problem!" Anila said, "I have Chesa." At the sound of her name Chesa let out a loud deep grown causing the man to jump, he had never seen a sky bison before.

"Is… is that a flying bison? It's so big! How does it fly?!" He asked.

"How does a dragon breathe fire?" Anila asked him, all firebenders knew that the dragon were the original firebenders.

"Oh, yeah… Okay." The man stammered.

"We can be ready to leave in about an hour if I start now." Anila told them then returned to Karma's tent to get her help too.

"Zakai, what happened to her face?" His friend asked him.

Zakai got a sad look on his face. "The father of her son… he… he went nuts or something because she told him no… it happened yesterday when I was talking to you." He shook his head. "Nobody will ever hurt her again, I'll always be by her side."

…

Anila and Karma had everything packed and loaded in barely half an hour. After Zakai thanked his friend he climbed into the saddle with Karma and Aang. "Come here little one." He said stretching his arms out to the little boy.

"Dadada" He said as he curled up his new daddy's arms, nuzzling his chest then comfortably falling asleep listening to Zakai's heartbeat. Zakai's heart swelled when the tiny boy called him daddy, he gently rubbed his son's back as he slept.

After a little while Anila climbed into the saddle to join her family. Sonam was napping while Karma carved more of her wooden toys for the little ones, and some to sell. Zakai was leaning against the saddle horn with his eyes closed. Anila couldn't help herself she knelt next to her boys and kissed each on their cheeks. "I love you." She softly whispered to both of them.

Zakai smiled, "We love you too."

"I can take him and put him down with Sonam." Anila told him.

"No, I want to hold him." Zakai told her as she sat next to him, he wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her against him. "Mine! You are MY family now and I have never been happier in my life… He called me Dada!"

"He loves you, you know that right?" Anila asked him.

"With every bit of myself." He answered. "So where are we going?"

"Home." Anila told him. "But first I need to buy some fabric."

"Fabric? What for?" Zakai asked.

"I need to make you Air Nomad robes so you don't stand out. They will also help you hide from your stepfather." Anila told him.

Zakai chuckled, "You are one smart girl, he definitely won't be looking for a male Air Nomad at the… Which temple is your home?"

"The Eastern Air Temple, the Temple of the Rising Sun." Anila told him. "It really is beautiful there."

"Yeah, I don't think he will be looking for me all the way on the other side of the map." He said then kissed her forehead, closed his eyes again and rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"That's why I chose it." She told him closing her eyes too, her head was already resting against his shoulder.

"I really enjoyed last night." He softly whispered to her.

"I did too." She whispered back.

…

Their first stop was near Fire Fountain City, there only Anila and Karma went into the city to pick up a bit of supplies, they also bought several bolts of fabrics in reds, oranges, and yellows. When they returned to the campsite Zakai already had dinner made and was feeding Sonam and Aang. After dinner Anila and Karma bathed the children in a nearby stream then put them down for the night.

"I need to measure you." Anila told him as she crawled out of their tent. She found a piece of white chalk and grabbed her staff. Marking him at one and one quarter staffs high, and his arm span is nearly the same. She began calculating how much of each bolt of each color she was going to need. She was going to start work once they were in the air again.

…

Karma took the reins for several days in a row so that Anila could complete the traditional articles of clothing Zakai would need to blend in. The Eastern Air Temple was for women but it was quite normal to have men stay for a little while too, as long as he keeps his hood pulled over his face she should blend in just fine.

Zakai tenderly doctored her bruises every day, helping them to heal quickly.

During the long days of flight Zakai enjoyed watching Anila work, he also enjoyed playing with and teaching his new son. Anila loved how happy they made each other, during the days and during the nights.

…

"Let's see how they fit." Anila said, they only had a few days before they would finally reach their destination.

"Now?" I can't change here, Karma is right there!" He pointed towards Chesa's head.

"She won't look, I promise." Anila comforted him.

"Oh okay, fine." He gave in without a battle and changed quickly. Anila had to help him tie the knots in the right places and adjust the garments so that they would hang properly.

"So how do I look?" He asked as he turned so that she could see him from all angles.

"You look like an Air Nomad now!" She told him. It took every ounce of strength she had to keep herself from tearing the clothes off of him. However that night she had her fun.

…

"There it is!" Anila said excitedly. Zakai was sitting on Chesa's head with Anila.

"That truly is beautiful Nila." Zakai said. He donned his new robes his wife had made him; they were actually quite comfortable and even though there were many layers they were not even hot at all.

"She's going to be so happy to meet you!" Anila bounced excitedly.

"Who will be?" Zakai asked her. They had already started their decent and a horn had been blown announcing their arrival.

"She is!" She said pointing to her mother.

As soon as they landed Anila took Aang in her arms and jumped off of Chesa's head. In all the commotion Zakai was able to slide, unnoticed, off of the bison. They were all greeted warmly then walked to the housing. Zakai had gone totally unnoticed, and they all went to Sister Opame's quarters.

As soon as the door shut she turned to Anila. "And who is this imposter?" She asked the couple.

"Mom… I broke our rules, and well I wanted you to meet him. This is Zakai, and I love him with every ounce of myself." Anila told her.

"Zakai is not an Airbender name." Anila's mom said.

"I suppose not… but it would be odd if he did have an Airbender's name considering her is a firebender." Anila told her. "We… we got married."

"As long as you love him." She smiled, shaking her head. "Young man I want you to make me a promise."

"Yes ma'am." Zakai answered. "Anything."

"Promise me you will always love her, you will never hurt her in any way. Promise me you will be a good father to my grandson, promise me you will protect them no matter the cost." Opame said to him.

"I will always love and protect doth of them, I already do and already have." Zakai swore. "I will do everything in my power to protect them."

"Wonderful young man, now I will greet you as part of my family." She gave him a hug. "Thank you for making my daughter happy."

…

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	34. Chapter 33: The Eastern Air Temple

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 33**

Anila and her mother caught up on all the news about that's going on throughout the world, and the news from the other temples. Anila told her mother what Amitaruci had done to her, how she had rejected him at the end of the last Yangchan festival, about how the man followed her and watched her for a few months. She told her mother about how Amitaruci was insane with anger and jealousy, about him lashing out at her and attacking her. She told her mother about how Zak came to her rescue and saved her from the airbenders blind fury. Opame was very concerned for her daughter and grandson.

"What if he tries it again?" She asked her daughter.

"I don't think he will come at me again. Zak threatened him, told him to never come around me again." Anila told her mother.

"What about the Yangchan Festival? It's only a few months away, he will be there." Opame asked Anila.

"We've already talked about that." Zak answered for his sweet beautiful wife. "I'm going with her, I promised I never leave her said and I won't."

"I knew right away that you're not an Airbender, others will be able to see it too." She told him.

"I'm not worried about that, I don't care what they say, I will protect her from anything that comes our way." Zakai told his Mother-in-law. "We are together no matter what anyone says."

"What if they banish her?" The older woman asked him.

"I will take care of her and our son, they are my family." He told her. "I love them both so much."

"I'm very pleased to hear that." She answered. "You should show him around, my Daughter. Grammy will watch Aang."

Anila took Zakai on a tour of the air temple. "Want to see my favorite place in the whole temple?" Anila asked him.

"Sure, My Nila." He answered. She excitedly took hold of his hand and jogged to the highest point of the whole temple, with her glider in hand.

"Ready?" She smiled as she pulled him off of the tall spire with her, she giggled at the wonderful tickling in her tummy that she loved, at the lightheadedness that came next, with the exhilaration as her heart pounded rapidly in her chest as the ground quickly approached. She opened her glider, Zak still holding on to her, they shot back into the air. She performed spirals and barrel roles. Shooting high into the sky then letting them freefalling back down to earth. Zakai loved the feeling of flying with her, his body close to her, he could feel his heart beat against her back as the glided.

She continued to fly with until she saw her mother waiving to them from the window of her quarters, summoning them back in.

"Yes, Mama?" Anila said just after landing on the balcony outside their quarters.

"A feast to welcome you and your guests is being thrown in just a few hours and I thought you might want to rest for a while." Opame told her.

"Oh, yeah that's a good idea… Where's Aang?" Anila asked.

"He is already taking his nap." He mother answered. "He is such a happy baby… I can tell he is well loved."

"We love our son very much." Zakai told the woman.

"I really like how you say he is your son." She told Zakai.

"It doesn't matter who fathered him, he is MY son." Zakai told her. "And someday… I hope to have more children."

"I do too." Anila said, her cheeks blushing bright red in front of her mother.

"I would love to have more grandchildren." The nun told them. "To watch them grow up to become great airbenders."

"Or firebenders…" Anila slipped in.

"Oh… I hadn't thought of that possibility." She responded. "Airbenders, firebenders, I will love them all."

**...**

"We Want to welcome Anila back home, we look forward to every time one of our girls come back to visit us!" Sister Dolkar said. "Welcome back Anila!" She waited until the applause died down. "Let the feast begin!"

The kitchen staff began delivering trays upon trays of food to all the tables. Zakai leaned over and whispered into Anila's ear. "I've never been in a room with so many girls in my life… But you are still the most beautiful I've ever seen."

Anila laughed aloud and elbowed him in the ribs. "Behave!" Anila looked up when a tray was dropped on the table in front of her instead of being gently placed on the table. She was looking directly in to an angry face the she recognized from a few years back, it was the girl, Karin the girl Amitaruci was trying seduce when she brought Aang to him to see. The girl quickly turned away and went back into the kitchen, Anila didn't see her again that night.

…

Anila and Zakai went for a walk with Aang, well more like followed him as he wandered about in the corridors of the temple.

"I want to hold your hand My Nila." Zakai playfully whined.

"Not in here." She told him.

"I need to." He told her.

"Just wait." She told him.

"Please?!" He pouted. "I didn't even get to sleep next to you."

"It's the rules." Anila didn't know if she could keep herself from attacking this young man that loved her so much. "Look Aang found a field to play in… Want to run around?" Anila had a wicked smile as she turned to face him. "You can't catch me!"

"I can try!" He told her as he reached for her but instead of catching her arm he caught air, she had already sped off out his reach.

"You can try!" Anila laughed, as soon as he got within reach she would sprint away again. "But you will never get me!"

"Then I'll make you come to me!" He said as he caught hold of Aang, picking him up above his head and spinning around making the toddler squeal with joy.

"That's no fair!" Anila laughed, and within just a few moments she was by his side again.

"See Aang and I knew you'd come to us." Zakai laughed. Anila couldn't help herself she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

"What about the rules?" He whispered against her lips as she pulled away.

"I don't care about the rules, I want to kiss my husband." Anila told him.

When the pulled away from each other they turned back towards the temple, this was the first time they noticed that they were not along in the beautiful field.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! You have done nothing but ruin my life… You embarrassed me! You made him angry and leave!" Karin yelled at Anila. "Now you're breaking the rules… I heard you call him your husband!"

"You are still stuck on that prevented, self-centered, jerk! All he wanted was your innocents! He just wanted sex!" Anila yelled at the young woman. "Do you want to know what he did? He stocked me, followed me and watched everything I did! If that wasn't enough hit me when I rejected him! You want him? I sure as hell don't!"

"What about his son?" The girl asked.

"He has no right to MY son!" Zakai told her. "That man was a loser, and will always be a looser."

"Let's go, I need to pack our stuff I don't want to be here anymore." Anila told him.

…

When Anila told her mother that they were leaving first thing in the morning the kitchen staff managed to throw together a feast quite quickly.

"We have been told that our Anila will be leaving here in the morning. So we would like to send her a way with good tidings and a wonderful feast." Sister Dolkar told everyone. "I also have another wonderful announcement. We have received word that the head Monks and Nuns have narrowed the search for the new Avatar to only a dozen left to test!" The feast hall erupted in a roar of applause and excited chatter.

Anila shifted uneasily, she already knew her little boy was the Avatar, and if they had it narrowed down to a dozen they were getting closer to knowing what she already knew, and once they found out they would take him from her.

Zakai noticed her change in mood immediately and knew what was bothering her.

…

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	35. Chapter 34: We need to go

**I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.**

**"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.**

**I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!**

…

**Chapter 34**

As soon they got back into their room Anila started throwing things into their bags. "We're not leaving until tomorrow, slow down My Nila." He said in a soothing voice. "Relax, nobody here knows Aang is one of the Avatar candidate."

"It won't be long before they do though." Anila answered as she continued to stuff clothing into her bags.

"How could they?" Zak asked.

"Because when women give birth at the Western Air Temple," Anila had stopped to look up at him, "they keep records of who the mother's and father's are. The day and time the babies are born."

"Aang was born the night the sky was black." Anila said to him.

"The night Avatar Roku died." Zak added, "I remember that night well."

"One of the nurses made a comment, after he was born… She said he glowed. I'm not sure if the made a record of that statement or not but I have a feeling we will be found soon, Zak, and when they do... They'll take him from me." Anila's silver eyes held so much sadness that his heart broke, he wrapped his strong arms around her.

"We will go somewhere nobody will ever find us." He told her. "I'll build us a home with my own hands, somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. Who's going to look for an airbender and a firebender in the Earth Kingdom?"

"I love you so much." She told him.

"I love you and Aang with all my heart, you are MY family… MY wife and MY son, I'll do anything and everything to protect my family." He spoke against the top of her head. "Now we should get ready for bed, we will be leaving tomorrow morning."

After putting Aang for the night Anila went down to the bath house and soaked in the heated water. She was feeling really stressed out, the closer they got to discovering Aang the more scared she became. "_Only a dozen left to test." _She thought about Sister Dolkar's words. Anila opened her eyes when she heard the door to the bath house creek as it was opened then closed again, a cool breeze chilled the steamy room causing Anila to sink down into the water, she was now chin-deep.

"Oh…" Anila heard a familiar voice say. "I didn't know _you_ were in here."

"Don't worry I was just getting out." Anila lied, she had only just got in. Anila stood wrapping a bath sheet around her body, she then quickly redressed, leaving Karin alone in the building.

When she entered her room Zakai was asleep on the narrow bed, his arms wrapped around Aang. She smiled and slid underneath the sheets wrapping her arms around both of her boys. "I love you both so much." She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep faster than she expected.

"Ssshhhhhh!" Zakai whispered to the little boy. "Mommy is still sleeping."

"Mamama" The toddler said as he climbed onto the bed.

"No," Zakai whispered again.

"Mommy's not asleep anymore." Anila whispered to her boys.

"I'm sorry, I was trying not to wake you up yet." Zakai said then he placed a soft kiss on her beautiful heart shaped lips.

"I'll get ready as quickly as I can, seeing as the sun is already up." She told them.

"You really don't have to." Her husband told her. "Karma and Sonam are already loaded up and ready to leave, she told me to tell you no rush though."

"I need to… we need to get out of here and on our way soon." Anila said as she brushed her hair.

"For an enlightened person you worry a lot." Zakai laughed.

"I'm not fully enlightened and I never will be, but that's okay because I'd rather have you and our family than boring enlightenment." Anila told him as she finished packing their belongings.

There was a knock on the door, then it opened. Anila's mother was standing in the door way. "Oh good she's up, Chesa is already loaded up, we just need you to bring the last of your stuff down and you can go." Her eyes held sadness, "I don't know when we will see each other again."

"Mama, I'll visit all the time. And we will always have the Yangchan Festival." Anila hugged the woman. "I love you."

"I love you too, now let's get your stuff loaded up so you can leave." Sister Opame told her.

Just as they loaded the last of their things onto Chesa the horn sounded, announcing the arrival of a visitor. The Visitor was dressed like an official, when he floated off of his bison Sister Dolkar greeted him with a low bow.

"This is the home temple of Anila, is it not?" He asked the elderly woman.

"Yes it is." Her eyes glanced over at Anila briefly. "And why do you ask this?" Zakai quickly climbed into the large saddle, Anila passed Aang up to him, the view blocked by the beast's large body.

"Her baby is on the list of children I am assigned to test." He told them. "He is one of the Avatar candidates."

"Our Anila?" Sister Opame feigned shock. "Our Anila is far too common a girl to be the mother of the Avatar." Everyone started whispering and shaking their heads; this gave Anila a few more moments to get herself ready to leave.

"Excuse me…" Karin said. "EXECSE ME!" She yelled over all the voices. Anila's breath caught, she knew Karin was about to turn her in.

"Yip, yip!" Anila called, causing Chesa to take off in the air, the young woman's bonded guide animal shared her anxiousness and flew as swiftly as she could.

"EXCUSE ME!" Karin said again. "There she is! She is flying away right at this moment!"

The Monk turned around, he watched as they started to disappear from view. "I saw her baby once cause a serious windstorm… It was at the Yangchan festival." The buzzing became louder, some in shock some gossiping about this new news.

…

After an hour of silent flying, Zak called to her from the saddle, Anila climbed into the saddle and sat facing Zakai. "I knew they were close." Her voice cracked a bit as the tears she was holding back finally broke through. "I can never go home again."

"I'll build us a new home, like I promised; it will have big grassy area with lots of beautiful flowers, it will be surrounded by trees. It will have a stream that runs through it! It will be hidden from everyone." Zakai said as he caught a tear with his thumb, and wiped it away. "Your mother could come and visit whenever she wants."

"Where?" She asked trying to force a smile.

"Where ever you want!" He told her.

"I don't know where I would want to live." She told him. "I never gave it much thought, Nomads keep moving."

"If that's what you want, then that's where we will do." Zakai smiled supportively to her.

"I… I want a house." Anila told him. "I want to raise our children in our home."

"Children?" Zakai asked raising an eyebrow.

"Not now, silly." Anila laughed. "In the future." Her laugh made him laugh.

"I'll even build a small house for Karma if that's what she wants too." Zakai told them.

"I would very much love my own little house for me and Sonam." Karma smiled.

"So… Where are we going to live?" Zakai asked her.

"I'm not sure yet… but there is one thing that I want to do that I've never done before." Anila told him.

"Well I guess we have one more adventure ahead of us." Zakai answered her.

"Really?!" Anila was so happy. "Thank you so much Zaki!" She hopped onto Chesa's head, directing the animal to go south. Zakai left Aang with Karma and followed his new wife to the animal's head.

"Soooo…. Where are we going?' He asked her.

"I want to go penguin sledding!" She bubbled, "We're headed to the South Pole."

"The… the South Pole?!" The color drained from Zakai's face.

"My campfire started is afraid of the cold?" Anila started to laugh. "If it gets too cold for you I could help warm you up."

"It could be fun." He smiled.

…

It only took a week to reach the South Pole, they touched down just outside a bustling ice city. Buildings of ice stood tall glimmering in the bright sun light. The small group trekked into the city, and headed to a small building with a sign on the outside, it read "Tea House" a small bell rang as they opened the door.

"Hello!" A Blue eyed girl greeted them. "Welcome to our shop!"

"Thank you." Anila answered, the girl started talking again.

"You must be airbenders! We don't get visited by airbenders very often! Oh, excuse me my name is Kayla!"

"It's nice to meet you Kayla, I'm Anila and this is my son Aang." She said introducing everyone, pointing as she said their names "These are my friends, Zakai, Karma, and her daughter Sonam."

"My father is the Chief of our tribe, I bet he would love to meet you!" Kayla said excitedly.

"We would love to meet him too!" Anila smiled.

"Oh! Excuse me, I got so excited to meet an airbender that I totally forgot to ask you what you would like." Kayla spoke very quickly, she reminded Anila of herself when she was a girl.

"It's no problem." Anila laughed, "We're very patient."

"Well you are." Zakai laughed. "I'm freezing." He rubbed his extremities, even with his body temperature naturally higher than theirs, he was still cold.

"I can throw a bit more coal into our stove." Kayla went to work, adding too much coal on accident. The new coals suffocated the old ones, putting out what was there. "Oh no! I'm so sorry, I need to try to restart it. I can never get this thing going!"

"Here, let me help." Zakai said, he walked over to the door and thrust his fist at the coals shooting fire into the belly of the stove. "I'm a firebender, not an airbender; but the young women and the children are."

…

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**The more reviews I get the sooner I'll update. **


	36. Chapter 35: Aang is the Avatar

**Chapter 35**

Today was Aang's second birthday and the family had a special day planned. Anila made her favorite desert, an egg custard tart for them. They have been living in a quaint little house Zakai had built for them, it was only a two room structure. Anila, Zakai, and Aang had the room while Karma and Sonam slept in a curtained off portion of the main room. There was also a kitchenette and large fireplace in the main room. Outside was beautiful, Anila had her very own vegetable garden, and its first harvest was large and supplied them with a large variety for the vegetarians. They also had a barn large enough for Chesa, she shared it with their Cow-hippo Babe, their daily supply of milk came from her; they also had a pig-chicken pen for their eggs. The small homestead was on one of the small islands in the Fire Nation, it was surrounded by forest on all sides.

While growing up Anila always pictured herself happiest on the move traveling all over the world meeting new people and seeing anything and everything there was to see in the world. She was wrong she was happier than she had ever been in her life. She was married to a wonderful man that loved her with all his heart. She had a best friend that was the like a sister, and a three year old niece that was a very smart little girl. She had her sweet, smart, happy little boy. Anila had already started to teach the two year old, he was extremely gifted at airbending for his age. In the temples they start training the children at around7 four years of age, just barely able to produce short directed blasts of air at the spinning doors, but with short instructions Aang was already able to create small air funnels among other forms that are usually taught to children around the age of five and six years old. And last but not least Anila was expecting another child in six months.

"Anila," Karma came into the small house. "I can't believe he's turning two already!"

"I can't either! I'm so proud of him! My mother is going to be so happy to see all of us at the Yangchan Festival in a few months!" Anila told Karma.

"I bet she will be excited to see that you are giving her another grandchild!" Karma told her.

"Yeah, she will be so happy!" Anila smiled as she absentmindedly rubbed her the bubble on her abdomen, it was small but still noticeable. "I am! I love my life, our happy, mixed family."

"Anila you have always been a great influence in my life, and tomorrow will be exactly two years to the day we met." Karma reminded her.

"I will never forget the day we met." Anila told her. "How could I? It was the day after Aang was born."

"My Nila!" Anila heard her husband calling from outside.

"Zak's back!" Anila said as she hurried outside, she was flanked by Karma, Sonam and Aang.

"I was able to make us ten gold pieces, I want to have a total of thirty when we go to the Yangchan Festival." Zakai told her.

"You really don't have to go with us." Anila told him as he hopped off of Chesa's head.

"I want to go with you! I want to see what the festival is all about." Zakai told her. After marrying Anila he has taken a huge interest in Air Nomad culture and traditions. He said it was because he was always interested but Anila knew that it was because of her, if they had never met he would probably still be on the run, hiding from his stepfather and alone.

"I love you so much!" She smiled at him as she shook her head.

"I love you more than you know, I love everything you give me." Zakai told her, he placed his hands on the baby bump and smiled "I love you so much" Then he picked Aang up and kissed his cheek, the couple walked hand in hand into their home followed closely by Karma and Sonam.

Once they got back inside the quaint little house Zakai turned his attention to Aang. "Happy birthday big boy!"

"Tank you Daddy!" The chunky little boy said.

"I got you a present!" Zakai told him as he pulled a toy stuffed Sky Bison out of a bag.

"Chesa!" Aang s7aid excitedly.

"No, Chesa is Mommy's. This one is all yours!" Anila told her baby boy. "We can come up with a name later."

"Dinner is done!" Karma said as she removed the large iron pot from its hook above the dancing flames.

"It smells delicious!" Zakai said as he helped set the table for dinner.

After they ate their dinner they had slices of egg custard tart and chilled milk to celebrate the boy's birthday, besides the stuffed bison from his parents Karma made him building blocks.

…

Anila was walking around stretching her legs and back. Sitting on Chesa for long periods of time was making Anila uncomfortable. The bubble on her abdomen had grown quite quickly, she was now a little over six months along but she was much bigger with this one than she had been with Aang.

"My Nila, are you sure you're okay?" Zakai asked.

"I'm fine, I promise, I just need to move for a bit, walk the aches away." She told him.

"Are we going to make it to the festival in time?" Zakai asked her.

"Yes, you dingbat, we left a full two weeks before we needed to." Anila laughed. "I already took into account for all the breaks I'll need. Besides it will only take us a couple more days and the festival is still a week away."

"I just want to7 make sure you're okay." Her husband told her.

"By this point in the pregnancy Air Nomad women are all on their own." Anila told him. "I'm perfectly fine."

"It is all perfectly normal." Karma agreed with Anila. "It's just how the Air Nomads are."

"Well in the rest of the world women are married when they are pregnant, and the farther along you get the more help you need." Zakai told her. "Women are supposed to be taken care of."

"I understand that you think it's stupid but its how the Air Nomads are." Anila told him. "I'm not saying you're wrong, and to be honest I love being married to you and I love that you take care of me, that you want to be here with me, and help me. I really love how much you care about my wellbeing, I prefer it over Air Nomad tradition."

"Well then, I guess I have some serious pampering to do!" Zakai told her. A short time later they were back into the Sky heading to the festival.

…

"I told you w7e'd get here with plenty or time to spare." Anila told Zakai as they started setting up their little camp. Zakai was dressed in the robes that Anila made for him, so he could blend in. "Karma and I are going to take the children and go get us some water." Anila told him then kissed him goodbye.

"You two are so cute!" Karma told Anila as they walked together.

"He is so wonderful, he makes me so happy." Anila told her.

When they got down to the freshwater pond Anila started to kneel down to fill all their water pouches. "Anila, please let me do it." Karma told her.

"No, I'm fine, I got this!" Anila said as she squatted at the water's edge. Anila turned her head as she heard someone approaching, her smile fades and fear rushed in.

"I knew I saw Chesa land." Amitaruci told her. "Are you done with that stupid firebender?"

Anila and Karma collected all the pouches and readied themselves to leave quickly. "Actually, no I'm not!" She said as she stood back up.

His cocky smile contorted into a look of pure anger and hatred the moment his eyes fell on her round belly. "You'll regret telling me no! No woman ever tells me no!" Then he turned and walked away.

"Aang, Sonam, tell your daddy goodbye!" Karma said boldly.

"No my daddy!" The two year old little boy said, infuriating the man even more.

"You don't scare me! I'm not a child anymore!" Anila hollered at him. "You can't manipulate me anymore!"

"Hey My Nila," Zakai said as he saw her walking towards him, as soon as he say the expression on her face he knew something bad happened. "What's wrong, My Nila?"

"Amitaruci tried to talk to us." Karma told him.

"What happened?" Zakai said as he went to his wife and held her body against his, he stroked her hair until her ridged body molded to his.

"He… He got very angry when he saw your baby in my belly." Anila whimpered.

"Don't worry about him, I will always protect my family. You don't have to worry about him." Zakai sat down and she curled up against him in his lap.

…

It was the day before the festival and the site was buzzing with airbenders. The camping area had hundreds of little campsites, cooking fires were burning, and the air was filled with the scent of fruits and vegetables being cooked many different ways.

"I've never seen so many airbenders in one place before!" Zakai said as he stared out into the sea red and yellow and orange, bald heads and blue arrow tattoos. People ranging in ages from newborn babies to elder that had to be over one hundred years old.

"The Yangchan is the most observed and respected holiday for us." Anila told him. "Air Nomads come from all over the world to celebrate. You are lucky, you get to witness our rituals."

"Anila, everyone is going to the statue." Karma told them as she gathered Sonam and a few toys in a bag for her.

"Okay, let's get going too." Anila said as she grabbed a water pouch. "Aang, take Mommy's hand. The group talked and laughed as they followed the migration, saying hello to people they came across during their travels.

"Monk Gyatso!" Anila said excitedly as she saw the kind old man with a group of children. "How have you been?"

"Anila! What a wonderful surprise!" The old man bowed to her. "Is that your baby boy?"

"Yeah, Say hello Aang." Anila directed the two year old.

"Hello!" Aang said, he had a huge smile and his silvery-gray sparkled as he bounced in front of the old monk.

"He is a high spirited boy isn't he?" Gyatso ask the girl he watched grow up through the years.

"Yes he is." Anila laughed, "He is already able to perform exercises that five year olds do." Anila told him.

"Oh my, he must be a hand full." Gyatso looked at the visible bubble on her abdomen. "How do you keep up?"

"I manage." Anila laughed.

"Barely!" Karma laughed.

The ceremony started like all the other ones, bowing to the statue three times then they broke off into groups. Anila ran around after Aang while all the other Nomads sat in circles retelling the Story of Avatar Yangchan and the Great Spirit Old Iron.

"Hey little one! Get back here!" Anila laughed as she called to the swift little giggling toddler. Unknown to her she was being watched by a few people, one was the man trying to figure out the worst way he could to punish her for rejecting him; the other was the girl that blames her unhappiness on Anila, and wanted Anila to be as unhappy she was.

After the story was finished being retold the music began and everyone went up to the lush green meadow for lunch. Zakai stayed by Anila's side, seeing her in her native people her native element was amazing. She practically floated as she walked around, running after her happy little boy. After she caught him she sat down with Karma, Sonam and Zakai.

They began eating their very dull meal talking and laughing together. "Anila?" A man said as he approached their little group, behind him stood the last two people she thought she'd never see together again.

"Yes?" Anila answered, confused as to what was going on.

"We have been informed that your son is one of the Avatar candidates." The man told her.

"What? Who?" Anila started to set scared.

"Is this man the father of the child or not?" He gestured towards Amitaruci.

"Well… Technically yes but…" Anila was cut off by the old monk.

"He and this young woman told me that they have seen the child show great talent." The Monk continued.

Anila was starting to get scared. "He's nothing special!" Anila collected Aang into her lap.

"They have both told me the same story… That that windstorm that we had at the Yangchan Festival two years ago was the result of this child's cries. "Is or isn't that true?"

"Yes but…" Anila was growing more and more upset, she was on the verge of crying. She held her little boy tighter.

"We need to test him!" The Monk ordered.

"No! He's mine!" She began crying, by this point the little boy was also crying. The wind started to pick up speed.

"See! I told you he was powerful!" Amitaruci had to yell as the wind speed started rising. "My son is the Avatar! I Told You!"

"Give us the child!" The monk ordered. "He has to be raised and trained in the temples by the monks. We cannot allow you to corrupt him with notions of 'Love'! To be the Avatar the world needs he be trained in the temples!"

No! He's Mine! I won't let you take him!" Anila screamed Clutching the child to her.

"MOMMY!" The boy cried out. "MOMMY!"

"Give him to us. If you do not we will take him and we will punish you severely for your disobedience!" The Monk told her. Everyone in the meadow was now watching the confrontation.

"Please!" She began to beg them. "Please don't take him!" Tears poured down her cheeks.

"Why can't you just let her raise him?" Zakai yelled over the roar of the wind.

"You need to stay out of this! This in none of your business… you're not even an airbender!" A second Monk told him.

"She's married to him!" Karin told them.

"If you hand the child over we won't punish you for going against our teachings!" A nun told her.

"I don't care what you do to me, I won't let you take him!" Anila cried.

The Nun took Aang and tried to pull him away from her. "Mommy! No Mommy!" The boy cried. "MY MOMMY!" He clutched onto her clothing refusing to let go. The storm was so bad that people had to run for cover.

"NO!" Anila screamed. "NO! HE'S MINE!"

"He's not yours! He belongs to the whole world!" The Nun said as she tried pulling harder.

"Please!" Anila cried. "Please let me at least choose who will raise him. I'm begging you just please!" She sobbed into the mess of black fuzzy hair on the baby's head.

"Who do you wish to have him go? We reserve the right to say no." The Monk told her.

"Monk Gyatso!" She called out to them. "I want him to be raised by Monk Gyatso!"

"Monk Gyatso!" The Monk called out, "Come here now."

Witnessing the entire confrontation Monk Gyatso came forward quickly. "Yes! I will raise the boy for her!" The old man said.

"Are you sure you will be able to handle this responsibility of training the Avatar?" The Monk asked him.

"Yes, I will be able to handle the responsibility." Monk Gyatso said. "For Anila I will."

Anila stood, hugging her little boy she put on a brave face and whispered to the boy. "Mommy loves you and she always will. Monk Gyatso will raise you for me… Soar peacefully my little one, I'll bring you a birthday egg custard tart every year."

The old monk accepted the toddler. "Thank you so much!" The young woman barely managed as it felt like her heart was torn from her chest. Anila turned away and numbly began walking away, then anger filled the hole left in her heart and turned to face Amitaruci.

"This is your fault!" She yelled. "You worthless…" She threw an air blast at him knocking him to the ground. "Selfish…" She began hitting him with the strongest blasts of air she could manage. "Jerk!" She pinned him down with a forceful but steady stream of are. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Then she collapsed, she was broken inside.

"How could you people live like this?!" Zakai yelled to them as he went to Anila. "How could you tear apart a perfectly happy family?!" He scooped up his wife and carried her to their campsite.

…

A full week had passed and they were still at the festival camping grounds. Anila was weak, she had shut everyone out, she wouldn't talk to anyone, and she wouldn't even eat. Anila please you have to eat something for the baby's sake, please!" Zakai pleaded. "I will spoon broth into you if I have to." Anila just rolled over she didn't care about anything she hadn't even said anything since she attacked Amitaruci.

"Karma!" Zakai yelled. "We have to force her again."

Karma came in and sat near Anila's head, Karma rolled Anila over and supported her head in her lap, propping her up so that she didn't choke on the small amount of liquid they were able to get her to take. "Please My Nila! I can't watch you die! I can't lose two more! I hurt more than you know, and I'm afraid I'm losing you too!"

The next day Karma and Zakai packed up came and headed back to their home in the Fire Nation. Every day they had to force broth in her and every day she refused to talk or even move. Zakai was doing his best to care for her and every day she slipped away more and more.

…

One night, a month and a half later Zakai was awoken by Anila's screams. "Anila!" He yelled. "What's wrong?" She began screaming again clutching his nightshirt. "Oh Spirits! KARMA WE NEED YOU!" Zakai yelled as his wife cried out in pain.

Three hours later she gave birth to a beautiful but weak baby girl. Every time they tried to get her to look at the baby, she turned away. The little girl looked exactly like her mother… and reminded her of the little boy that was taken from her.

"I know you're hurt that they took Aang!" Zakai told her. "I lost him too! I hurt too! But I refuse to lose you or our little girl! You need to feed her you need to eat! If you don't you will lose another child! When I burry her I don't even have a name to put on the marker! I can't do this anymore, and I don't know what to do!" He began to walk out of the room he heard the squeak of an unused voice.

"Minori."

"What?" Zakai asked as he turned back to her.

"Her name… Minori." Anila said softly.

"Please don't make me burry Minori." Zakai pleaded.

"I hurt so bad inside." Anila told him.

"Please come back to me! Please be my happy playful My Nila again." Zakai asked her. He wrapped his arms around her and to his surprise she closed hers around him. "I love you My Nila, I love you!"

"I love you too." Anila told him.

"Minori looks just like you." Zakai said to her.

"She is beautiful." Anila told him as she looked at her daughter. "I think I'm done being sad. Monk Gyatso will let me see Aang... I know he will."

"I'm going to go make you some food." Zakai td her.

**THE END**

**SEQUEAL COMING SOON… ANILA AND ZAKAI'S STORY**

**A/N Now that you are at the bottom of the page, please take a few moments and leave me a review!**


	37. Announcement

The first chapter to Anila's Story, Zakai and Anila's Story is up and ready to read!


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